Mystery Island
by DancingStar01
Summary: CHAPTER 10: Mary believes she saw a vampire...
1. Mystery Island

Title: Mystery Iceland  
Author: DancingStar  
Pairing: Doyle / Donner  
Rating: No idea, decide for yourself! (I guess 16)  
Spoiler: Perestroika / Season 1  
Summaries: On the way to Russia Connor Doyle´s and Lindsay Donner´s plane crashes. They strand on an uninhabited island…  
Notes: The characters are not mine, and that's a good thing. I´m a long time fan of the show PSI Factor and this is actually my first FF, not stories like my "Memories" or "Family Lies". I cannot believe we have no active website in Germany where we can post our stories! I am sorry for the way I wrote Connor Dolye´s name: Because of watching the episode "Regeneration", (I first watched it in 2010!) I know he is written: Conner. Unfortunately, the second O has already slipped in of habit.  
By the way, excuse me for my horrible English….  
Enjoy reading and let me know how you liked the story. In addition, I´d like to say you how much I admire Dan Aykroyd, the host of the show. For me, he is one of the best actors ever.

**Mystery Iceland **

Lindsay woke up with headaches. She was cold and she felt her clothing was wet. She lifted her head and looked down at herself: Water flowed around her and she was on also soaked sand. The sun was setting on the horizon.  
What had happened? The last thing she remembered was the plane that fell into severe turbulence. She and Connor were on the way to Russia. They were flown without the team, because Peter and the others were flown with a machine one day ago. If Lindsay hadn´t get into this jam and Connor had not had a flat tire on the way, they wouldn´t had to fly with this airplane. They wouldn´t have crashed. ...  
Lindsay slowly straightened up. Beside her a black bag and seaweed was laying in the sand. She suspected that the plane was hit in the storm by a lightning. And for some reason it crashed and she was stranded on this island. Where were the other passengers of the airplane and... Where was Connor?  
With trembling legs she got up. Lindsay had no idea where she was and the worst imagination was to be here all alone. Her shoes sank into the sand when she went a step forward. Lindsay stumbled and decided to take off her shoes. She picked it up and walked along the beach, registered, that some boxes were washed ashore by the sea. In the distance she saw a figure in the sand. Her knees were even softer than they already were and she ran faster.  
"Connor," she gasped as she found him unconscious. He lay with outstretched arms and legs and also wet clothes in the sand but he was breathing. On his right side blood was dripping from the hairline.  
"Connor," she tried to wake him and laughed with relief when he opened his eyes. She hugged him violently.  
"Lindsay ... Where are we?" His head ached, too, but he was not seriously injured. The small wound would heal, so he said.  
"I don´t know," she admitted and helped him to get up. The sun had now disappeared completely and the air cooled. The beach was lined by a kind of jungle and in the center of the jungle was a mountain. Neither Connor nor Lindsay had an idea where they were. And they didn´t know how they could leave this place.  
Connor suggested a "stocktaking" for tomorrow. Today they were too exhausted and the plane crash still stressed them too much ...

The next morning after Lindsay had vet his wound at the hairline, Connor pulled one suitcase out of the water. "That's mine!", he called out to Lindsay, when he discovered the black trolley and a label with his name. Lindsay took care of a pink molded case. That wasn´t hers, but because of the color she thought the bag belonged to a woman. Connor explained they would have to live with those things that were washed by the sea. After waking up, they recognized they truly stranded on a small, secluded island. It took only twenty minutes to circle.  
The island was uninhabited. They hadn´t explored the jungle until now: They "collected" trunks until noon, until it was too hot to work on. So, Lindsay decided to search for something which they could eat. She was about five minutes on the road when she reached a waterfall which didn´t flow directly into the ocean, but in a kind of pond, at the end was still a small waterfall. It seemed as if there was a strong spring on the island. And the mountain... Whether this was probably a volcano?  
Lindsay heard birds chirping and on a branch sat a colorful parrot. She climbed up on a rock and in the distance she saw three other islands, which were a bit larger than those. The blue shimmering ocean was a beautiful sight, but then she remembered she was stranded here. The plane... She was surprised that she and Connor landed on this island. May the other passengers were able to save on the three islands in the distance? Lindsay would need a boat to find out. The islands were too far away for swimming.  
With a disappointed sigh, she left her vantage point and went to the pond, past the waterfall and entered the jungle. Another two minutes later she reached a clearing and when she saw it, her breath...

"Connor!", she yelled when she reached beach, where Connor just combed his suitcase for useful things. He turned around to her and looked at her inquiringly.  
"I…", she breathed heavily, "Discovered something. It´s unbelievable!"  
He closed the trunk and followed her to the clearing. "My God," he had no idea what to say when he saw the wooden house. The door was open and there was a porch which led around the house. The temporary fence was broken in several places and the "garden" looked very unkempt. They walked together to the house.  
"Hello? Is somebody here?," Lindsay was hoping that someone was here who could help them. Perhaps there was also a radio.  
When no one responded to her call, she entered the house. The first thing Lindsay saw was a fireplace in which lay a small cold heap of ashes. In the corner of the fireplace was a great spider web. Inside the shelter was furniture which didn´t look as if had been bought at a decent store, but rather as the self-creation of an amateur carpenter. "Hello? Is anyone here?", Lindsay looked up a stone staircase and when no one answered, she carefully climbed up one level after another. The so-called upper floor was a single room in which where a bed and some boxes filled with stuff. In front of a window was a table on which lay a pile of books.  
"You found someone?", asked Lindsay when she heard footsteps on the stairs.  
"Yes," he said, "But you won´t be pleased."  
"What does that mean?"  
He walked down with her, left the house and pointed to a small cross, which was in the shelter of a tree. "Apparently the owner of the house is dead," he said.  
"But who buried him then?"  
"I don´t know. Did you find something useful in the house? ",He was referring to a radio.  
Lindsay was sorry to disappoint him.  
"The house certainly looks like no one lived there for a long time," she explained. The thick layer of dust on the floor proved it.  
"I think we should bring the luggage to this place. This house as protection from weather is better than no protection."  
Lindsay agreed and they spent the rest of the day with sorting out the bags on the beach and then they carried all items to the house. On the way to the beach Lindsay discovered an apple tree and she picked up so many fruits as she could for dinner.  
The house was well furnished. Although there was no running water or electricity, but at least there was a kitchenette with a sink, the drain resulted in a bucket. Lindsay took care of the dishes alone after dinner, Connor thanked her. But when she had finished, she wondered where he might was. She went out to the porch and went to the waterfall. Then she saw him, Connor was sitting on the same rock on which she had been standing this morning and looked up to heaven.  
"What are you doing here?", she sat down beside him on the rock.  
"I try to identify where we are," he said, looking up at the stars. Probably this ability was a relic from his Navy time.  
"You figured out anything?", she asked cautiously.  
"I guess we are pretty much drifted south. I don´t know exactly where we are."  
"No good news."  
"No."  
"Do you think the other passengers could escape to the three islands in the distance?"  
"It would be possible. But the islands are quite far away to swim to them."  
For a brief moment there was silence.  
"Do you think anyone will find us?", Lindsay looked into his eyes when she asked him this.  
"Yeah, I believe. I´m sure someone is been looking for us."  
"I hope you are right."

"Where the hell are Connor and Lindsay?", Peter was visibly worried. He and the team waited since almost one day for Connor and Lindsay and for the transitional period, they had quartered in a hotel opposite the airport, before they set off by truck to Siberia. He already knew Connor and Lindsay would arrive with a subsequent machine, because he had called them before their plane left the airport.  
"Elsinger won´t tolerate our stay here much longer," he heard Cooper saying.  
"I know that, too."  
"Then call the airline. Eventually the plane was delayed."  
Peter knew that Cooper was right and so he chose the customer hotline of Oceanic Air, he spent five minutes in a holding pattern then he spoke to a lady from the service. From the corner of his eye he noticed that now Anton had come to inquire about Connor and Lindsay. He was worried, too. Anton and Cooper watched as Peter hung up the phone and breathed.  
"What's wrong?", asked Anton.  
"The plane crashed," Peter said to them, "The plane didn´t even reach the Russian airspace. The airline says they don´t know where exactly they crashed." His cell phone rang again and he recognized Elsinger number. He could imagine about what it was…

Right at the first day on which they stranded on the island, Lindsay made a calendar: She painted for each day that passed a line on the stone fireplace of the house. Today Lindsay painted the third line on the stone wall.  
Connor left the house after getting up, he told her where she could find him if she needed help. Lindsay searched for useful things in a suitcase she had found on beach and this black suitcase was obviously owned by a woman. Summer clothes were in the luggage. She wondered how someone got the idea to take summer clothes to Russia, but then it occurred to her: The plane was supposed to make a stopover in Sri Lanka. But the airplane had never arrived...  
The dress seemed to fit and even if the idea was extremely macabre to wear it, she put it on the pile of useful things. How Connor said: They had to live with what the ocean washed ashore.  
Her eyes fell on the pink hard shell suitcase, which she had also pulled out of the sea. She hit the lock with a pair of pliers which Connor had found in a kind of tool box behind the house. Lindsay was curious what was in this suitcase and for one moment, her breath stopped when she opened it: Baby clothes. The idea a little baby hadn´t survived this plane crash, drove tears in her eyes. The case was closed, she pushed it aside and decided she needed to be distracted.  
She spent the day with with preparing her house as best as she could. She freed the soil from the layer of dust, washed some blankets in the pond and then hung them up for drying.  
She hoped they would be found soon. After all, she couldn´t wash their laundry every day. Life on this island would be very monotonous.  
In the evening, Lindsay made her way into the jungle to search for Connor. She pasted the apple tree and put some apples in a bag, which she had found in a suitcase with summer dresses.  
She was almost there, when she met Connor. "Hey," she greeted him, "What did you do all day?"  
"I had an idea," he didn´t tell her more.  
"Why don´t you tell me what you did?"  
"It is a surprise."  
"We already have a house," she smiled again and looked uncertain after the animals were screaming behind him, "Let's go back. It will be dark. "

For four days, Lindsay wondered what the surprise probably was of which he had spoken.  
She had noticed how Connor was searching in the jungle for long branches and broken tree trunks and she asked him on what he was working. "I plan to build a boat," he told her. So that was the surprise.  
Connor suggested that the island was inhabited and after the "previous tenant" had died, the one who had buried him, also disappeared by boat. Now he was trying to do the same. He had never built a boat, but he'd make it: In the house he had found some tools which would help him.  
After one week of painstaking work and more durable wood search the boat was ready and he dragged it near water on a late afternoon. The sun was so hot and Lindsay didn´t care what he thought about the bikini top. She also didn´t care if he thought it was macabre she wore the clothes of probably now dead airplane passengers. After three days in the dirty, sticky clothing she had an urgent need to change clothes.  
"Do you know at all where we have to go?", Lindsay wanted to know and this question was of course justified. After all they probably could never reach mainland, or they were starving (the bit of fruits, which she packed into a blanket as provisions, wouldn´t last long enough) and died of thirst. Or even drowned or were eaten by sharks. She refused not think about it...  
"Just leave this place," Connor replied to her question and he even had to admit it was quite irrational. Presumably the sun had already burned his brain...  
He pushed the boat into the water until he and Lindsay stood to their knees in the sea. Then he helped her into it, and followed himself. When he dropped his oar into the water, he noticed his sunburn.  
"We should have packed an umbrella," he tried to cheer her up.  
"I hope you also made sure if the heat and the iron were off."  
His joke came in and he shook his head amused. But suddenly he stopped. Connor thought he had seen a black shadow in the sea.  
"What?"  
He didn´t want to worry Lindsay, so he told her everything was fine. The sun beat down from the sky while they rowed on. There it was again. This black shadow again. This time he slipped under the boat.  
Lindsay had seen it.  
"Is that ...?" She stopped talking, when about ten meters away from them a black dorsal fin was springing up from the deep. They knew what it was. With fast pace the fin rushed to them, cut almost the water in a half and then it dove again. "He wants to scare us", said Connor, "Lindsay, if ..."  
The wooden boat was rudely pushed to side and Lindsay struggled for balance. With a cry she landed in the ocean and Connor reached for her hand. Now the shark attacked their vehicle from the front, even as he tried to help her out the water, he pushed it over again and Connor lost his balance. He landed next to her in the water.  
"How far is it to theisland?", Despair mingled in her voice.  
"It´s a short distance," he turned around to her, "If he comes to us try to sit up in the water ... He´s may thinking we are a seal or his prey."  
She nodded but didn´t believe, the shark is interested in this. He already was aggressive.  
They swam as fast as they could and were relieved that the shark was now busy with the boat and pushed it on the water surface like a ball. When he noticed that the small boat was empty, he left it.  
He swam back to his real prey and noted they had already reached the save mainland. Lindsay's knee buckled, when the water was only up to the ankles and Connor was standing exhausted in the sand.  
"Now we have at least an idea of what had happened with our predecessors," he breathed heavily and noticed only from the corner of his eye, how Lindsay nodded. She gasped for air and finally she couldn´t hold back her tears. She suddenly realized what that meant. This shark could have killed them and he was probably lurking out there and just waiting, that they ventured a second try.  
"Lindsay," Connor drew her to him and held her until she stopped sobbing. When she had calmed down, she looked up at him. It was an unusual feeling to be held by him, an unusually nice feeling. And she wondered if he was probably the same...  
She still looked at him and tried to keep his gaze before she decided that she couldn´t wait longer and began to kiss him passionately and challenging. She explored his mouth and felt how his hand wandered down her back when she leaned back in the sand and he followed her. She noticed a yearning feeling in her stomach when his hands now wandered over her waist, her hips and she wrapped her legs around him. Suddenly everything was so simple and clear...  
The shark pushed the boat, before he jumped out of the water and rip it into pieces with a loud roar.  
They were shocked when they heard this horrible noise and Connor got up at first. He held out his hand to help her. "We should go back to the house," he said, "It will be dark soon and I´m not planning to meet another wild animal and to be on its menu."

After what had happened on beach, Connor spoke not a word to her. Not, that he didn´t want to. He didn´t know what to say. His thoughts struck somersaults when he only was looking for a beginning for what they had to talk about now. Of course, it was very nice but... Lindsay was a beautiful, smart woman. Why should she just choose him...? At the same time he wanted to know how her skin may smell…  
Maybe the sun was to blame, he told himself. In the last two weeks Lindsay had just gotten too much sun and suffered from poor nutrition. After all, she couldn´t only have a fish and fruit diet, without having cracked up at some point ...  
Connor brooded until late night, gazing spellbound at the fire in the fireplace. Because in the little room "upstairs" was no fireplace and the nights were very cold at the moment, they spent the night next to the fireplace in sleeping bags, which originally belonged to OSIR equipment and were washed ashore by the current.  
The worst thing was, Connor thought, he only needed to stretch the arm for her if he wanted that what began today on beach should be continued here. Lindsay was only two feet away, at the same time it felt like one million miles.  
Tomorrow morning he would talk to her urgently. Now he didn´t want to wake her: To judge her deep breaths, she was already asleep.  
He slept restlessly that night. That was because he dreamed about the shark, but also dreamed about her... He dreamed how he held her in his arms and kissed her deeply. How they lay in the sand, the water flowed around them, his lips wandered over her neck and she moaned when she wrapped her arms and legs around him... How he pulled on the bow of her black Bikini bra top and they both finally...  
Gasping for air, Connor woke up. He looked intently at Lindsay. Thank God, she was still asleep. He muttered a faint "damn" and fell back into the sleeping bag and his pillow. Connor couldn´t wait for the next morning...

Lindsay hadn´t got up to look for fruits like she did every day. She was still sleeping in bed.  
He informed her he would catch some fish (before he talked to her, he needed breakfast) and she nodded silently. Before he left her heard how she was coughing and gasping heavily. He immediately lost interests in the old plastic bucket, which he had found and in which he always kept the fish. Connor came to her. Beads of sweat stood on her glowing face, as she had closed her eyes and tried to sleep.  
He wasn´t a medical doctor, but he knew how fever felt. So he covered her with a blanket and went to the First Aid box he had recently found in the powered luggage. "Connor," he heard her say tired when he searched for penicillin in the black plastic box. Relieved, he breathed out: There was penicillin.  
"I'm here, Lindsay," he replied and sat down beside her again with the tablets in his hand.  
"Connor, I love you."  
This made an impact like a bomb. He didn´t know what to say. He loved her, too?  
Connor tried almost desperately to find an answer and recognized he would not need it: now Lindsay was so exhausted that she was just asleep. He listened to her breathing and when she would wake up again, he´d give her the tablets. When she took two tablets each day, she would have used up everything in four days and he hoped until then she felt better.  
Connor thought about what she had just said to him. She had a slight fever, good, but it was not so bad that she was talking in delirium, right? He didn´t know. He had no idea if she was only joking. Just as he didn´t know what to think about the kiss.  
Connor had to think much. He had to think about what he felt for her.

Her medical condition improved day by day, but the kiss and her confession complicates the situation between them. Lindsay noted the distance between them and it disliked her. He took very good care of her, but if he had finished his compulsory, he disappeared the entire day and didn´t return before the evening came.  
"What´s wrong?", she asked one afternoon, when he brought her dinner, fish.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Connor, you are behaving strangely in the last few days," she noted, "I also have the feeling you avoid me. I said something wrong?"  
"No", that was an honest answer, "But you gave me food for thought."  
"Why?"  
"When you had fever, you said ...", he paused and Lindsay smiled at him.  
"What?", she asked. He recognized she apparently couldn´t remember what she had said and for one moment, he took into consideration, to leave it at that, but was that what he wanted?  
"You asked if there is an active volcano on this island."  
"Is it true?", The mountain on the island had raised her skepticism, but so far they had been spared from earthquakes. And she couldn´t believe she was worried about that.  
"Why did you want to know?"  
"Finally, the hot springs also have an origin." She leaned back into her pillow. Connor had no idea that he had directly hit the mark with his wrong answer.  
"There are hot springs?", He asked.  
"Yes," she straightened up, "I'll show you." She threw back the covers and got up. Before he could argue something about it, she took his hand and ran off. He didn´t agree at all that she got up now and possibly suffered a relapse and became sick again.  
But saying something it wouldn´t help.  
They passed the waterfall and found themselves in a sort of ledge on which was a hole with steaming water. "Here it is," she said and turned around to him, "Sometimes it's a very nice contrast to a shower under the cold waterfall." She held his gaze. And at that moment he knew it: he wasn´t in the mood to keep her longer at a distance. If he didn´t seize the opportunity now, he would never do it and who knew, when the next opportunity came?  
In his head, the thoughts danced in circles and he wondered what he should do next. He stretched out his hand for her and she actually put her hand in his. Suddenly she was in Connors arms.  
She enjoyed it to hold him like this. Both were only a few centimeters apart and Lindsay could have kissed him.  
"What are you doing?", she asked and he noticed the change in her voice immediately.  
"Let's swim," he suggested then broke away from her and she was disappointed. He took off his clothes to be the first to jump into the hot water. With an impatient glance he looked at her.  
"And you?"  
"Turn around," she said, giggling softly, "Or close your eyes."  
He obeyed. When he heard a splash beside him, he asked if he could now turn around again. Connor wasn´t waiting for her answer, turned around and pulled her into his arms. Her skin tingled at the places where he touched her when she looked into his eyes and finally kissed him. He had been waiting for this moment and had imagined how she felt. By the kiss on the beach, he already knew it, he admitted, but this time he would not let it happen that someone (or something) disturbed them. To hold her now and caress her skin was better than any fantasy.  
Before their kiss was more intimate, she back down and took some distance between herself and him.  
"Is everything all right?", he hoped he hadn´t spoiled with this action. If so, it would be a pretty lonely life on the island.  
"Yes," Lindsay nodded, "You feel so good."  
She fixed his eyes, swam back to him in the warm steamy water and put her arms around him. "Oh, Connor," she giggled and then she kissed him again. She admitted that her kiss became more passionate this time and Connor lifted her up. She held her breath when he kissed her neck and his hand glided on her thigh and then stopped on her knees, so she wrapped her legs around his body.  
"I know exactly what you're planning," she smiled, "Be gentle, okay?"  
"Don´t worry, I´m not gonna hurt you."  
He liked touching her and a sigh escaped her as she finally felt him. He chuckled when he heard this sound and moved slower. Again he kissed her, his hands wandered over the wet skin of her body while she started to breathe heavily. Connor knew he drove her crazy with that and she didn´t know on what she should focus first. Lindsay closed her eyes before they fell apart at the same time in this wonderful explosion of their feelings.

Next morning she awoke in his arms and realized that the fire in the fireplace was off. But she didn´t care. She felt his breath on her neck and turned around to cling to him. Last night was wonderful: When they returned from the hot spring, they came into a rainstorm and arrived drenched in rain at their house. Lindsay tried to keep the fire in their fireplace going while Connor wasn´t able to do something: Her clothes were completely wet and looking at her reminded him of what he had kissed, caressed and loved a short time ago. He pulled her into his arms and put his hands on the wet fabric of her white dress, which was now see- through. I fit her like a second skin. The fire in the fireplace became warmer and he dared to kiss her again. He felt how she longed for him when he pushed a wet strand of hair out of her face, freed her slowly from the drenched dress and finally they let their emotions run wild again and loved each other once more rampant and wild. Then they fell asleep exhausted, arm in arm.  
She smiled when she thought about it. She had often dreamed of how it would be to do all this things with him, they had done last night and she decided reality was much better. Lindsay had not believed there was someone who could cause such feelings in her and brought her to life like this. But Connor was that someone. She never had so good...  
"Good morning," Connor muttered, stretching.  
"Hey," Lindsay gave him a fabulous smile, "Good morning. Did you sleep well? "  
"Yes, but not very much," he laughed softly and pulled the blanket tighter around him. Because the house had no windows of glass and the weather was very bad today, the air was cold. The sun was not shinning and the air smelled like rain.  
Connor was a little cold. "Let's go to bed," he suggested, when he also noticed her goose bumps.  
"We are already in bed."  
"This is not a bed. This is the ground in front of our fireplace", he told her, "And my back will thank me when I'm at least a few minutes on soft ground."  
"Your back didn´t complain last night," Lindsay laughed before she kissed him.  
"I have to confess something. Yesterday I wasn´t quite honest with you: Not the issue of an active volcano on the island made me think but... You told me you love me when you were sick. Do you forgive me that I didn´t tell you this?"  
Connor waited anxiously for her response. And he hadn´t expected that she laughed.  
"What's so funny?", he asked, raising his head.  
"Nothing, Darling…", her voice was seductive, when she put her arms around him again, "Ultimately you have told it to me ... and you proved it several times." His body reacted to her touch.  
He nodded and grinned when his stomach growled. They both had not eaten since yesterday anymore. Then they were too busy to get to know each other on a new level, than to worry about food.  
"Come up," he said, "I urgently need something to eat."

All the while, Lindsay had asked herself, where Connor caught the fish they ate. And today she received an answer: On the other side of the island was another pond, which, unlike Lindsay´s pond with the waterfall that led directly into the sea. Here, the fishes lived. He sat here day after day, for two weeks and five days, and fished.  
"This is the place where you disappear to," she noted when she sat next to him and waited for a fish which would bite in Connors self-made fishing rod.  
"Well, it is still the same island, right?", He asked amused and looked at her. They heard a noise what came from the sea. There it was again... The shark swam still circles around the island. He couldn´t reach this pond because the ground was too flat. Nevertheless, Lindsay expressed her concerns: she had seen television documentaries about Orca whales, which came during hunting for seals to the beach.  
"He is still here," the monotone came from Lindsay.  
Connor threw back the rod into the water. "As long as he´s out there, we don´t need not try to leave this island. He would eat us."  
"Does that mean we give up?"  
"I don´t know," he admitted, "I just know it would be pretty stupid to swim out again." He looked at her, "But I will keep an eye on him and when he is gone ..."  
"If we only could be sure he doesn´t come back." She sounded sad and she leaned her head on his shoulders.  
"You look wonderful today," Connor noted.  
Lindsay looked down at herself. She also liked the lilac-colored summer dress and Connor was apparently the same opinion. "Thank you", Lindsay smiled.  
A twitch at the other end of the fishing rod ripped her out of her considerations. Connor pulled back the string and threw the fish into the bucket. That was the lunch, but Connor was sick of it. He hated to eat fish every day. But he had any choice on this island: They ate fish almost every day and different types of fruit. Connor recently had fished a crab out of the pond and put it in a different bucket. He planned to feed the crab a little so it would grow up and they had at least once something better than fish.  
"Let´s go back," Connor said to her, "I got a fish, all I need today."  
She agreed and together they made their way to the house before a heavy rainstrm began. Lindsay was hoping the rain wouldn´t take long otherwise she needed the rain jacket which she had found in the luggage.  
The rain continued into the night and in addition lightning and thunder had stopped. The wind whipped against the wooden wall of the house when they were in the "floor" of the house on the mattress and tried to sleep. But they couldn´t: Just the fact to share bed with each other again was enough reason to stay awake.  
"Connor, I am so happy that I'm here with you," she confessed in a whisper, "I love you."  
"I love you, too," he stretched out to her and kissed her briefly. He was crazy about her and he was more than relieved they had landed together on this island. Sure, in the office was one or another female colleague who showed interest in Connors private life and asked him if he had a girlfriend, but it didn´t interest him. He had always had eyes only for Lindsay. But he didn´t admit it very long. He should have noticed what he felt for her then he could have all this long before.  
"Do you sometimes think of them?"  
"Who?"  
"The team ... Peter and Anton and the others..."  
"I wonder what had happened in Russia and what they have experienced, but ...", he looked at her and a glow was in his eyes, "I prefer being here with you."  
Lindsay gave him a warm smile. "Aren´t you afraid to spend the rest of your life in some kind of isolation?"  
"No. I got you."  
"What, if one day we have nothing more to say?", It was a very anxious question.  
"I know we are the only people here and it could be possible one day we have enough," he was honest, "But I love you too much. For that I've been waiting too long for you and it was worth it."  
Tears welled in her eyes. "No one ever said such a wonderful thing to me." She was sleeping happily that night. Connor was all she needed and she had told the truth: She couldn´t imagine anyone else with whom she´d rather stay here.

The bad weather lasted for a long time. Probably the nature needed it on this island.  
During the last few weeks, Connor and Lindsay were not spared by thunderstorms and heavy rain storms, but they were glad to have a roof over their head and a fire in the fireplace. Fortunately the bad weather was gone. On a day when the sun was finally back and the water in the pond was warmer, Lindsay decided to swim a little.  
She wondered. How long they had now been here? She had forgotten it. She would have a look at the calendar, to be sure, but it had been more than a month here for sure. The last weeks had been splendid: Even if they had to live without many things they were accustomed in their lives, they were together and she enjoyed it. She loved Connor and the nights with him were ... She stopped and put her feet on the bottom of the pond. She remembered that she was long overdue. For one week ...  
Concern began to spread on her face. Lindsay couldn´t imagine to have a baby on the island, she had no clue how giving birth worked. It would be the first child for her and for Connor. But the thought of having his baby let her calm down and she felt a wonderful sense of happiness. On the other hand, the baby would grow up here on this island far away from civilization.  
"Lindsay," he called for her, "Come on, it gets dark. We have to go back."  
"Yes," she hurried to get out of the water and when she had ranged him, he stretched out his hand to her. Hand in hand they went back to their shelter and she watched him, as he lit a new fire.  
How would he react if she told him about the baby? But then she was not even sure if they really would have a child.  
"You look worried," Connor noted and sat down beside her to embrace and warm her.  
"It is ... I have ... Connor, I'm afraid."  
"Of what?"  
"I've found out that I... Connor, I´m pregnant."  
"Are you sure? That sounds wonderful", Joy was in his voice when he kissed her, "Thank you, sweetheart."  
"Does that mean you´re happy?"  
"Very."  
"Having a baby will change our whole live, Connor."  
"It makes our lives better," he corrected, "I always wanted to have a baby. Preferably, of course, with you ... darling, this island is the best thing that could ever happen to us both."  
"We have to wait, Connor," she knew she should not have told him before she was not quite sure. If she was not pregnant, he would be disappointed, because he obviously wanted to have a child.  
They slept arm in arm that night. Lindsay fell asleep quickly, but Connor had been up a long time. He swore he would protect Lindsay and the baby as good as he could.

It turned out that she was truly pregnant and the idea of delivering a baby scared Lindsay more and more: What if something went wrong and she and the child would die during the delivery? Connor would be all alone here. She told him about her concern, but he promised her everything would be well. The time ran and after five months her pregnancy was significant. Connor found that she looked now even more beautiful than she already was. Since she was here she didn´t cut her hair because Connor liked her long, blond "very sexy" hair. But Lindsay joked she now fit into only a few clothes. Soon she would have to wear this ugly green summer dress, which she had found.  
"I would like to have a little girl," he told her for cheering her up, "I hope she is as pretty as you are." He decided to bring her to other thoughts and started a talk about baby names on a morning on which they stayed in bed longer. They discussed the right name for their child and found out they could not agree. "Christina is a very nice name for a girl," suggested Connor.  
"Christina?", Lindsay raised her eyebrows, "Christina Donner?"  
"Christina Doyle," he corrected.  
"We aren´t married."  
"Then... Christina Doyle Donner."  
"You are so terribly selfish," she crossed her arms over her chest, "And why can´t we call her Sophia, Izabella or Hannah?"  
"We don´t know if it's a boy or girl..."  
"Who started with girl's names?" She turned away from him and Connor was breathing from a loss. Finally he decided this mood fluctuation was caused by the hormones and he wasn´t in the mood to argue with her.  
"That means only one thing," said Connor at the end of the discussion.  
"What?", she listened and turned to him again.  
"We have to get more children."  
She laughed when she heard this and threw her arms around him. She had already forgotten that they had nearly fought because of the name of their child and that she was afraid of giving birth.  
She would like it, too, if her baby would not be alone. Lindsay had no siblings, but she always wanted some. Therefore it was important to her that her own child had at least one brother or sister. Of course she wanted more children with him.  
"I love you," Lindsay told him, "I´d like to have much more of your babies."

"Two hundred and sixty days," said Lindsay and painted another line on the wall above the fireplace in the house. She exhaled and put her hand on her belly.  
"Is everything all right?" Connor asked anxiously, looking at her. He was standing at the door. Today the sun shone and a cool wind was blowing.  
"We have been here very long."  
"Yes," Connor came to her and hugged her. He felt the baby squirmed in her belly. Delighted, he whispered in her ear that he had felt it this time too. So far, Connor had never managed to put a hand on her stomach when she realized ecstatic how the baby moved. This time he came in time.  
"Let's go for a walk," he suggested and she agreed. A little exercise would be good for her.  
A little later they walked hand in hand along the beach and Lindsay told him how beautiful it was here. And she told him that she was very happy with him, "Connor, I..."  
A deep horn let them spin around. At the same time they turned around they saw a large white cruise ship, which slid in some distance in the ocean. They wondered if they had been seen by someone and when half an hour later, a small motorboat was moving toward to the island, they received their answer. A man in a white uniform got out and introduced himself. He asked how long they were here and Connor gave him the information.  
"You are pregnant," noted another man in uniform, looking at Lindsay.  
Lindsay nodded. "This cannot be overlooked."  
"Looks like it won´t be long... You should see a doctor... Unless you want to stay here."  
"No, just not," said Connor quickly. At first he had wished that somebody would take them away from this island, but now he was not sure. He realized Lindsay and the baby were more important than his personal wishes. Both would get the care they needed in a hospital. So he agreed they would come with the captain to the ship. Afterwards, he apologized to his girlfriend he was so overheated and she forgave him with a light kiss.  
"On the island is a house," Connor told the man, who was the chief mate of the cruise ship, "Do you know when it was built?"  
"It was built in 1946 and was a meteorological observation station until 1990. When Richard Blake died in 1990 on Mystery Island…"  
"Mystery Island?"  
"Yeah… Richard Blake was buried there and the weather station was taken out of service because no one wanted to life like a loner. Every few months boats pass by to the island, including ours."  
They got into the boat and were on the cruise ship in about five minutes. On board, they were pointed to a cabin and later they would have dinner.  
Enthusiastic Lindsay stretched a hand under the warm stream of water what came out of the shower in her bathroom. On the island there was only the cold waterfall. And then there were still her awesome, hot springs...  
"Lindsay!", Connor said after she was done with showering. She came out of bathroom in a bathrobe and watched how he got the dining table ready. A thought crossed her mind: Connor wanted to stay with her obviously. Most couples had the opportunity to try out their life together before they started a family. They didn´t get that chance. Poor Connor should now bear her terrible cooking skills. She laughed softly.  
They ate together and Lindsay thought a steak with sweet potatoes never tasted so good. Relieved to be back in civilization, she allowed herself after eating one hour of sleep in bed. A real warm, soft bed! Not just an old mattress on the floor of the house...  
On their first night on the boat, there was a salsa party. Many people were dancing, others came for the food and others watched the dancers. Fairy lights glittered, it was pleasantly warm and Connor took the opportunity to talk to the Captain. Of course, Lindsay was with him. She was also curious to hear how it went on after their "discovery" and the inclusion of their personal data the OSIR was informed that they were alive.  
"Captain, what do you think, how long do we need until we reach the mainland?", Connor asked a man in uniform.  
"We´ll reach Hawaii in three days. Then you can leave the ship and I hope you bring your girlfriend to a hospital." He pointed to Lindsay. Then he apologized and walked away.  
"He wasn´nt very talkative," Connor sounded very disappointed. He felt how Lindsay took his hand and went with him to the dance floor. "You should look after yourself a little," he said to her, when she threw her arms around him.  
"No, I'm fine," her voice was very quiet.  
"You look fantastic."  
She giggled. "It was the only dress on the ship, which was perfect for me." Lindsay wore a pretty white dress. She wore her long hair in a ponytail.  
"Do you remember the conversation we had on the island?... We talked about baby names..."  
"Connor, we should have that conversation ..."  
"No," his voice was very serious, "You can give the baby any name you want. But I want us both and our baby as a family. Let's get married."  
"Right now?"  
"Yes. Immediately."  
Lindsay nodded and hugged him. She loved him for this idea. It was a wonderful wedding. Both under the starry sky, the candle light around them. It was almost like a dream, though Lindsay. And she hoped she would never wake up again when it actually was one.  
With a happy feeling in her stomach they went back to their cabin when midnight was passed away. "Why did the Captain know we both need only one cab?", She laughed softly.  
"He has eyes in his head, darling," said Connor, when he looked briefly on her belly and kissed her on the doorstep of her cabin. He opened the door and turned to her. "I have to carry you over the doorstep, I guess."  
"But that´s not our house."  
"We catch up at home, too," with these words he lifted her up, carried her across the doorstep and kicked the door with his foot...

Three days later they reached Hawaii and they had to disembark. Although she felt well, the captain of the luxury liner told Connor a good hospital for Lindsay and the baby. Almost on time, he thought: they left the ship and walked for a while on the pier, when Lindsay suddenly stopped, face twisted with pain.  
"Connor, the baby…!"  
He should really get her to the hospital.  
A doctor asked her a few things about her pregnancy. Finally, they figured out the baby was about six weeks early. "Of course this is only a rough estimate," she reassured Lindsay and Connor, "Because we, or better, you missed a calendar, it's not possible to say how far exactly the baby is developing at the moment."  
Lindsay was worried and held Connors hand when she heard this. But there was no going back. The contractions were set in and the baby was not long in coming.  
The two waited twelve hours. Then Lindsay cried for a last time in the hardest pain of her entire life and a nurse gave a doctor towel and scissors.  
"She has dark hair!," said the doctor, raising a small, crying bundle up, "Here is your little girl!"  
She wrapped the baby in a pink towel and handed it to Lindsay. "Christina," she whispered, crying and laughing at the same time, "Hi, little girl... Connor, look: She is so beautiful."  
"May I hold her for one moment?", Connor sounded impatient and gave his wife a loving smile, when she put his baby in his arms. Connor had never loved somebody like he loved Lindsay and this child was the best prove for it. He took the baby already to his heart.  
"She´s very cute," said Connor and Lindsay nodded approvingly, "And damn brave."  
Christina was a little smaller and lighter than other babies, the doctor had explained to her parents. But she had developed well and the doctor was sure Christina will catch up quickly and she would be a normal baby soon.  
"Give us a moment, to examine your baby," with these words, a nurse picked up Christina.  
They saw how the baby was weighed, measured, and bathed.  
Connor and Lindsay were alone and he sat down beside her on the bed. "I promised you everything would be well," he took her hand in his, "I love you, Lindsay."  
"I love you, too." They kissed and Lindsay noticed from the corner of her eye, that a figure in blue overall came to them. "There is someone who would likes to see you both."  
"Hey Christina," her eyes sparkled when she held the baby and Connor kissed her again. He drew on, that Lindsay chose the name he had proposed for the baby and she laughed softly.  
This was the perfect moment in which they become a family.

"Lindsay Donner ... Captain Green said he told her she should go to this hospital."  
Peter and Anton talked quite a while now to the nurse at the hospital reception. Both were thinking the craziest things on the flight here, because no one told them why Lindsay was in the hospital. Surely she was hurt or sick.  
"I'm sorry," the nurse said to Peter and Anton, "A woman named Lindsay Donner hasn´t been taken to us."  
It wasn´t the only hospital on Hawaii, but the name was so clearly... He couldn´t imagine that there had been some mistake.  
"Can´t you take a look in your computer?", Claire begged her.  
The nurse rolled her eyes but then continued tapping on the keyboard of her computer. "So, as I said: There is no Lindsay Donner here, but ... In the last days only one woman was taken to our hospital which named Lindsay."  
"Where can we find her?"  
"At the maternity ward."  
"No, I don´t think so", came from Peter.  
Again the nurse rolled her eyes. "Would it be possible she is married and her name is Doyle now?... Third floor, Room 132nd."  
They made their way to the elevator, rode to the third floor and knocked on the door of room 132nd. After they heard a faint "Come in," they entered.  
"Connor? Lindsay?" Peter saw how Connor, who sat on the edge of her bed, turned round, and then got up.  
"Hi, nice to see you again." Connor grinned, while Anton went to Lindsay.  
"Lindsay, how are you?... And who is that? ", He wanted to know, when he saw the in a pink blanket wrapped bundle.  
Peter told him wreckage of the machine had been found last March. Unfortunately, they found the parts 1000 miles too far north and had sought to entirely the wrong place for survivors. "Damn, I cannot believe it!", Peter said to Connor, "We believed for nine months, you both were dead. Instead you had fun on a deserted island in the South Pacific the whole time."  
"I wouldn´t call it like that, Peter," Connor said seriously.  
"Well, I say. Now you´re having a baby." Peter looked at Lindsay. She showed Claire and Anton the baby.  
"I think you know what I mean. It wasn´t easy to survive."  
There was a knock on the door again and Lindsay wondered who it was. They asked the visit to come in. Peter had almost forgotten! Elsinger had also come with them, when he heard Lindsay and Connor were found.  
"Sir?" Connor was skeptical. What wanted Elsinger here?  
"Connor, nice to meet you here", Elsinger said to him, "After what happened on this island, I came to dismiss you both. The OSIR won´t deal further."  
"This is true but good," said Connor, "I wanted to quit anyway. There is nothing more embarrassing for me than telling to my daughter that I work for you."  
Lindsay's eyes widened. He quit for her and the baby?  
Elsinger went and they stayed back a little stunned. "I cannot believe that," Peter said, horrified, "I knew nothing about it." Elsinger made it quick and easy. Almost a little cowardly, Peter thought.  
"Peter, forget it," Connor looked at Lindsay and she agreed. They told him how the plane had crashed and they were woken up on the island. They also reported about the house until it knocked at the door again. Connor was afraid that Elsinger had returned. But it wasn´t so: an old man and a woman in a Chanel suit entered the hospital room.  
"Hello," said the woman and now also a nurse came to them.  
"Sorry, you belong to the family?", She asked and the woman and the man nodded.  
"Then I would like to ask those who don´t belong to the family to leave." So she sent out Peter, Claire and Anton. They would meet again later, Anton said in passing.  
"Connor, I'm so glad you're alive," the woman hugged him, "How are you?... Someone named Peter Axon informed us where you are." They noted that Connor was fine so far, so the stay in the hospital was not because of him. If was because of the pretty blond woman who was sitting in bed and smiled warmly.  
"Who is that, Connor?" asked the woman.  
"Mom, this is Lindsay... Lindsay, these are my parents."  
The woman in the Chanel suit came up to her and held her hand. "I'm Julianne. I´m glad to meet you."  
The baby in Lindsay's arms cried.  
"Is this your baby?" , Julianne asked delighted.  
"Yes, her name is Christina," said Lindsay, when she put the baby in Connor's mother´s arms. Julianne was proud to hold her grandchild in her arms. "You know, Lindsay, there were no babies in the family for a long time. I already feared Connor would never find someone who gives him such a wonderful baby..."  
"Connor, I can talk to you?", His father pointed to the door and he understood. He told Lindsay he would return immediately and so he left the room with his father.  
They walked down the hospital corridor. "What do you need to discuss with me?", asked Connor.  
"Boy, you have to marry her."  
"What? Dad...", he breathed, "I cannot do this."  
"What do you mean, you can´t? She´s the mother of your baby! You should have thought a little bit earlier!"  
"Dad, I cannot marry her anymore."  
"Why? Is she already married?"  
"Yes."  
"Connor, if this is true, you know that you aren´t Christina's legal father...?"  
"Dad, I can´t marry Lindsay anymore, because we are already married."  
"Why don ´t you tell me from the beginning?"  
"I tried..."  
"Maybe you should buy your wife a ring. Then I would have known immediately that you and Lindsay..."  
"Dad," Connor warned and they went back to the hospital room. Lindsay and Julianne were waiting for them...

It was unusual back home in the city. After spending nine months on this island and they were also used to, it was very strange to be back here now.  
He and Lindsay had arrived by planein the morning and Connor had insisted that he´d took her home in his car. It felt like a lightning hit him on the airport: The payment for the parking of his car was $ 2,000. But he paid (luckily his account has not been resolved yet), he finally had no choice. They would pick up Lindsay's car another time.  
They drove to Connor's apartment because Lindsay's had been dissolved by the OSIR. She had her things into storage and she wanted to pick up the most important things in the next few weeks. They also had to buy a crib and clothes for Christina urgently...  
Connor parked the car in front of the tower where he owned a condominium. He locked the door of his apartment. When he left the apartment for the last time he had been alone. And now that he came back he had his wife and his daughter with him.  
Connor stepped aside. "Come in," he said to Lindsay, with Christina on her arm.  
Lindsay had never been in Connors apartment, but she liked it. Christina began to cry and immediately her dad was with her. "She should get some sleep for a while", he said to Lindsay and she nodded in agreement. So Lindsay handed the baby to her husband and he brought it into the room next door. Five minutes later he came back and they sat together on the couch.  
"Are you okay?", He wanted to know.  
"I'm very well, now that we are at home again... Except that we both have to find a new job now." Lindsay giggled softly. She was with Connor and that made her up for everything.  
"True," he sounded very calm, "But first we have to do some things."  
She nodded and thought about Christina's room. Maybe in this apartment Connor had a room or a private office what he could do without.  
"What about honeymoon?", He looked at her.  
"It feels as if we would have been there. After all, we spent almost one year on this island."  
"Then let's go to a place where´s no beach, no palm trees and no ocean."  
"What about the mountains? Colorado..."  
"Sounds very good. Did I already tell that my parents own a vacation home in Colorado? We could go there, "Connor suggested," And we can stay as long as we want."  
"Then let's go."

Continue with Chapter 2? Then please go forward...


	2. Mystery Mountain

Title: Mystery Mountain  
Author: Dancing Star  
Pairing: Connor / Lindsay  
Rating: NC 16  
Content: Strange things happen at the Mystery Mountain ...

For two weeks they were now in Colorado and spent their honeymoon in the cottage, which Connors parents own. The house was located on Mystery Mountain. Lindsay had rolled her eyes when she heard the name of the mountain.  
It was very nice here: Next to the house was a forest in the west and they had views to the city of Mystery, which lay in the valley. Denver was just one hour away.  
The holiday shelter of the Doyle family included an empty stable. Only one horse (it was the favorite horse of her mother in law and Julianne had not had the heart to sell it after she had given up riding) lived still in the stable.  
They both enjoyed the free time and they enjoyed every moment they could spend with their sweet baby. When Christina was asleep, Lindsay took care of the horse and inquired the area. One day she asked Connor to take care of Christina, so she rode by horse to the summit of the mountain. Unfortunately, she had to turn back because there was a weather warning.  
When she told Connor she was at home again, he said goodbye to her with a kiss.  
"Where´re you going?"  
"Big Secret", told her and smiled at her. She knew that look. He had looked at her in the same way on the island, as he had praised the surprise. He told her Christina had just fallen asleep, then he left the house.  
Almost two hours she received no word from him and she wondered if she should call him on the phone, but she decided to trust him.  
Lindsay was sitting alone in the bathtub when she heard the front door opened. "Honey?", She asked and listened. Nothing.  
"Who else could it be?", She heard him say, and then an amused undertone in his voice. He came up the stairs and saw that she had her arms folded on the edge of the tub and smiled at him. "Do you want to come in, too?", She asked, reaching for her champagne glass, "I've already brought you a glass."  
"Is there something to celebrate?"  
"The Moment."  
He sighed, took off his clothes and came to her into the tub. The water was warm and he felt her soft skin. Lindsay shuddered as they touched. It was a pleasant shudder.  
"Connor," she smiled and leaned close to him, "Sitting on the horse the whole day is really exhausting. My neck is very tense." He understood the board hint and massaged her shoulders and neck. "I like it here," he said suddenly to her.  
"Yes, I like it, too ... Have you considered how it would be if we could just stay? Here, we will not be found. I love this idea."  
He was silent for a moment. "I'm glad you say that."  
"Why?"  
"Because otherwise, I call Dad and would ask that he withdraws the house again."  
She turned to him and looked at him in surprise. "Does that mean you have ...", a smile crossed her face as he nodded.  
"It was probably an irrational act," he admitted, "And I think we both and Christina will not have enough space in my apartment."  
Lindsay had expected he had an office or another expendable room in his apartment, but he had not. Until their departure Christina had slept in a crib in the master bedroom. It could not remain of course.  
"And after all birthday is in a few days," he added.  
"You want a gift of me now?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, you know, this could be a problem. The doctor said we should wait at least three months to get together again ... "  
"Just understand," he sounded a bit disappointed, "Why do you punish me like that, Lindsay?"  
"I do not punish you," she felt a gently bit into her neck. A call to play, like Lindsay claimed. But this call, it would not be followed today. So they left it at that, to exchange kisses and touches in the warm water and to enjoy the nearness of the other.

Even late in the night, the phone rang and Connor answered it. The phone was right next to his bed. He could barely understand his interlocutor at the other end of the line. "I ... I cannot understand. Who's there? ", He became louder and he was sorry he had to speak in this volume. Maybe he woke Lindsay.  
"Dr. Valentine? I do not know any doctor Valentine", he said as he looked anxiously at his wife. Now she was awake.  
He listened to the man at the other end of the line for two minutes and then he hung up. With a strange expression on his face Connor fell back into his pillow. Lindsay noticed it immediately. With sleep, she threw her arms around his chest. "What's the matter? You look so depressed."  
"It was the hospital in Pensacola. A certain Dr. Valentine explained my brother and his wife had a fatal car accident ..."  
"Oh my God."  
"My brother had a twelve year old daughter, her name is Mary. The doctor has also called her. She was probably at home, because my brother and his wife wanted to go out alone."  
"What will happen now with Mary? Are there any relatives?"  
"Apart from us? That reminds me of uncle Ormond and my parents, of course."  
"Do you think we should ask her if she wants to come to us?"  
Lindsay could imagine that Connor's parents had no longer the necessary energy to take care of a twelve year old. The trip to Hawaii to Christina's birth had already been very difficult for Edward and Julianne.  
And she never heard about Uncle Ormond. So they would call Mary in the morning and ask her to come to them for a while.

They picked up Mary at the airport in Colorado Springs on the following Saturday after a long drive. Of course, the city of Denver had an airport, too, but there was no direct flight from Pensacola to Denver.  
In the night, in which Connor and Lindsay had experienced of Charles´ and Joan´s death, they had searched the Internet on the side of the local newspaper from Pensacola for accident reports. They even found pictures of a black car that was just a pile of rubble. It turned out an intoxicated man crashed into the car of the couple. The Responsible for the accident had survived with minor injuries.  
While Mary was still shocked by her parents´ death, she was relieved uncle Ormond didn´t take care of her. Mary didn´t like Ormond. But when she had received a call by uncle Connor a few days ago, and he asked her if she may want to come to Colorado for a while, she had promised. Finally, after her parents funeral she was alone in Pensacola and before the youth welfare office brought her to a foster family, she spent time with her relatives.  
Mary was waiting with her two suitcases and her dog Lewis (of course she had previously asked if she was allowed to take him to the farm) for her uncle and aunt. She had not seen Connor for a long time and had no idea how he might have changed. She just that he had served for a time in the Navy and also had a professor title. Her uncle had to be a rather stuffy type. Moreover, her grandmother had told on the phone, Connor lives since a few weeks on a farm that was located on a mountain on the edge of a five thousand community. Internally Mary prepared herself for a boring time.  
"Mary?" she heard a voice and turned around.  
"Hi, Uncle Connor!"  
"Hello Mary. Nice to see you again."  
"Yes ... Unfortunately, the circumstances were not very nice."  
He nodded: "That's my wife Lindsay and this is Christina by the way."  
Mary shook her hand and smiled. "Is this Lewis?", asked Lindsay and the fox-colored mixed breed dog sniffed her hands.  
"Yes, he likes you," Mary put Lewis on a leash and they made their way to the car. While Lindsay sat Christina in her BabySafe and while Connor loaded the suitcases in the car, Mary took a seat with her dog beside her little cousin.  
"How far is it to get to your house?", Asked Mary. The airport was about two hours away from the farm and Mary realized that her uncle and aunt probably had upset their day to pick her up. And Mary told them she was glad that she had not to spend the next few weeks with Uncle Ormond.  
"Who is uncle Ormond?" Asked Lindsay and watched Connor, who was driving.  
"Do you know the Adams Family?" Mary wanted to know from the backseat, "Uncle Ormond is the uncle Vester of the Doyle family ... Uncle Connor, did you know t he lives in a kind of castle in the depths of Pennsylvania? It looks like a haunted house. "  
"He has lived in this house, when I was a child," said Connor, "It has frightened me to death."  
The drive from Colorado Springs to Mystery lasted more than two hours, and Mary was exhausted when they reached the house where her aunt and uncle lived. She was amazed: Connor and Lindsay were living in a big house that looked like a log cabin. The house was on a mountain and she could see the summit. Today was a clear, sunny day.  
"Come, I'll show you your room," Lindsay said as she took Christina out of the car and then they went together into the house. Connor carried in Mary's luggage.  
"This is your room," Lindsay stepped to the side, so Mary could see the room. It was the guest room in the house, next to the stairs, but it was very nice: Mary even had her own bathroom, which adjoined to her room. And when she looked out of the window, she could see Mystery, which lay in the valley.  
"How do you and Connor earn money?", Asked Mary.  
"Some farm pastures are on the mountain. The farmers let their cattle graze there, we make sure that everything is ok with the animals and the farmers are paying for it. Unlike your grandparents would probably not be able to afford."  
Lindsay knew that Connor's dad once had a dentist surgery, he had been abandoned for reasons of age. The farm was a nice vacation work, nothing more. Edward Doyle gave the farm with thanks to his son when he asked him.  
Lindsay left the room and went with Christina on her arm downstairs. Mary dropped to the bed. Of course it was a nice room and of course her uncle and his wife were very friendly, but she felt a little like an intruder. The two were just married after all, and had this tiny little baby ...  
A scratching at the door let her sit up. The door opened and Lewis pawed in. "He wanted to be with you," Lindsay said, and wanted to go back, when she stopped again, "It is really nice to have you here, Mary."  
But Mary was not convinced. When her aunt had left her room, she went to her pocket and took out a photo of herself and Charles and Joan, her parents. She put it on the bedside table and stared at it until she was asleep ...

When Mary woke up and looked out of the window, her eyes were large: it had snowed overnight, so much snow she had never seen. In Florida, there was never snow.  
She put her clothes on and tumbled downstairs.  
"Come on, Lewis," she said to her dog and together they went out into the garden. Lewis also had never seen so much snow. They ran to the end of the garden and then to the garage, where Connors car, a gray BMW, parked. Lewis and Mary were an hour outside, until they returned to the house.  
"Good morning," Lindsay said to her when she came with Christina in the kitchen. The baby was crying for a bottle of milk. "May I hold her a little?", Asked Mary and Lindsay nodded.  
She showed her how she had to hold Christina and then took care of the bottle. Mary was almost over-cautious, as this little helpless baby lay in her arms. She noticed how tiny and fragile Christina seemed. She had no idea whether that had to be like this: Mary had no brothers or sisters, she was an only child and sometimes also quite happy about it. So she enjoyed the full attention of her parents and had not to share her belongings with anyone. Here it was a little different: Here Christina was at the center and not Mary. She thought she deserved a little more attention since her parents died.  
"May I ask you a question?"  
"Of course."  
Mary looked up as her aunt handed her the bottle for the baby. "Why you have brought me here?"  
"You don´t like us..."  
"No... but Grandma told me you and Connor are just married and I feel like an intruder. I wonder what I am doing here ..."  
Lindsay sat down on a chair at the table. "We thought it´s good for you if you don´t have to think constantly..." She did not manage to finish the sentence. But Mary knew what she meant. She got up and gave her aunt the baby in her arms.  
"Mary, I did not want ...", she could not stop it: The girl whistled for Lewis, then went back to her room.

Mary lived in very difficult. Her parents´death followed her sometimes at night. Sometimes she woke up because she had dreamed of her Mom and her Dad. She then got up, wandered restlessly through the house until she eventually reached the kitchen. Lewis barked because he had not yet arrived in his new surrounding and with his barking woke the whole house: Christina cried and Lindsay needed a lot of patience to entice her back to sleep. Connor and Lindsay were neither angry with the dog nor even Mary. Both knew Mary and Lewis had to settle yet.  
The days would not pass away, but just two weeks after her arrival, Mary noted it was now mid-December.  
On one afternoon, Mary was looking for her aunt and she found her when she accidentally looked out of the window: Lindsay and Connor stood outside the garage, and seemed to talk about something. Since it was very cold out there, Mary decided not to go out. She took a yogurt from the fridge and sat down at the table.  
On the table was an opened box with some books and souvenirs and clothing. As far as Mary knew, Aunt Lindsay had asked a friend, to send some important things by mail. She took a ring binder with colorful paper flowers and opened it. Mary smiled as she saw baby and childhood photos of her aunt. Last night, Lindsay and Connor had already received an album with photos of Connor and viewed it. "Connor, this is you?", Lindsay had asked when she saw the old photos.  
"You already see that Charles was the prettier of us, hm?" Connor hated the memory of his high school years. His older brother had dated girl after girl, Connor was considered as a nerd and was therefore not interesting to the female gender. His mother once told him he was a "self warmer" and he was not that funny. On his thirtieth birthday, Julianne said to him, he never would find a woman if he continues to care only about the work and he had believed it, and abandoned. His parents also wouldn´t have mind, if he found a pretty woman who put some kids into the world with him. And then he met Lindsay… He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Lindsay.  
Mary enthusiastically looked at her aunts photos. On a page in the middle of the album, she stopped. Here was stuck a newspaper article. It was the last memory located in the album.  
"Nobel Prize winning couple dies in explosion in chemistry laboratory," was there. Mary read the article and noted that it was about Lindsay's parents. It had then been an accident and when Mary had it right, Lindsay was thirteen when this had happened. She felt incredibly sorry at the moment and she knew how her aunt had felt.  
As the door opened to the garden, Mary put the book back in the box. Connor took Lindsay's jacket and hung it on for her.  
Mary excused herself and went upstairs to her room.  
"What's the matter with her?", asked Connor.  
"I do not know," she admitted as she sat down at the table, "I told her, she can always come to us when she is depressed."  
Connor nodded. "What are we doing tonight?"  
"Sweetheart," she leaned across the table, "Let´s go out."  
"That's impossible."  
"Why?" She kissed him seductively.  
"I am married and have a little daughter."  
"What?" She pulled back and gave him a pat, "Connor, let your jokes." She left him at the kitchen table to go upstairs to preening for him, she said.

Connor was sitting behind his desk in the dark office to the left of the kitchen. "What's that?", he asked, quoting the message of the computer: "Are you not sure that you don´t want to continue?" He could choose between YES and NO. Tomorrow he would urgently call someone who looked at the thing ...  
Connor raised his head, as Lindsay was leaning in the doorway and said quietly his name. His wife wore a knee-length red dress. It brought her blond hair to shine.  
"Wow!", said Connor, and could not take his eyes off of her, "You look fantastic."  
She came slowly toward him to sit on the desk and smiled at him seductively. "Thanks."  
"Um," he tried to gather himself, "Is today a special day? ... Because you are so pretty?"  
"We wanted to go out, remember?" Lindsay closed her eyes and kissed him, "Come, let's go."  
Connor was still speechless. She looked damn good and once more he realized that he had a beautiful wife.  
"Yes," he nodded and they finally get up. In the hallway Connor helped her in her jacket.  
"Where are you going?" Asked Mary, as she saw Lindsay and Connor standing in the door. Outside, a light snow storm was raging and she did not consider it as a good idea to leave the house now.  
"We go out," said Lindsay her, "Christina is sleeping and if you should need something, my new mobile number is on the fridge."  
Mary felt as if she were running against a wall: She knew this record. Her mother said it to her, as she had seen her for the last time: "If there is something, I wrote a note with my new phone number and it is on the fridge." And Mary knew what happened then,..  
"We are back again at midnight ..."  
"You cannot go ... I ... I ..."  
"We only have dinner at Luigi´s in Mystery."  
"No!"  
"No? Why not?"  
Fear rose up in Mary. "Because I know you never come back again!"  
"That´s nonsense, Mary", it now came from Connor, "Why should not we come back?"  
"I know it ... you will never come again. You leave me alone. Just like Mom and Dad left me alone." She choked back her tears.  
"That will not happen ...", Lindsay said.  
"It Will," she ran her fingers through her dark hair, "Stop it! Stop promising me things that you cannot keep, Mom ... ", as she said she had looked at Lindsay and apparently she had noticed she was told to her. Then she excused herself and ran out.  
"I talk to her," Lindsay said to Connor, and followed her outside. Mary was sitting alone on the wooden staircase that led into the garden, staring into the distance.  
"I can understand," Lindsay said as she sat down beside her, "It is certainly not easy when parents die two weeks before Christmas."  
"I know. I've seen in your photo album and found a newspaper article about your parents. As you said that phone number- thing ... Mom said the same to me, as she left the house that evening to go out with Dad."  
"I'm sorry," Lindsay was honest, "I did not know."  
"It's okay."  
"Do you think you can forgive me?" She asked, looking at Mary obliquely from the side, "Listen, you mean a lot to me and your uncle and it was not our intention to hurt you. We ..."  
"It's okay, really. I know you want to have a little fun", it was hard for her to admit that, but it was true, "I Love you guys very much, too!" Now she was crying, too!  
"Oh, stop crying," Lindsay embraced Mary before she even noticed that she also had tears in her eyes, "What do you think if we both spend a few time tomorrow? We travel to Denver, we go shopping or to the hairdresser, watch a movie. We do girls stuff."  
"And what about Christina?"  
"Your uncle can take care of her."  
"May I ask you something? ... How did you...? So how did you cope with your parents´ death? "Mary gulped.  
"I do not know, I think... After they died, I sent them a letter every year at Christmas ... Twenty-two long years ... That's a long time, I know. And maybe you will not believe me, but time heals. Connor has really helped me: to start a family with him and to be a mother has made me forget all that. Sometimes I wonder if my parents see me from up there and I wonder if they would like Connor and Christina ... You know, not the mourning is the highest priority, but the welfare of the two people that are most important to me."  
Mary thought for a moment. "I think you should go out with Uncle Connor."  
"Really? We have now your official permission?"  
"Yes," Mary nodded, "I can manage."  
Lindsay said goodbye to her, got up and went on her way to the door.  
"Aunt Lindsay?"  
She turned around and looked at Mary.  
"Forget what I said to you, okay?"  
Her aunt nodded. "I'm trying," she said and went back inside. A little later, Mary heard as the door slammed in front of the house and a car was started. She breathed out with a strange feeling in the stomach. In the next three hours she watched regularly for Christina, watched at a movie and went to bed. Mary was relieved when twenty after midnight the door fell to the lock and she heard Aunt Lindsay's voice in the hallway. Mary slept away….

"Well, tell me!"  
"What?", Asked Lindsay and rolled her eyes. She drove to Denver with Mary the next day. Both now came from a clothes shop and sat in a cafe.  
"How long have you been together with Uncle Connor?" Asked Mary, "You're practically appeared out of nowhere."  
"The truth is we are a couple since March,."  
Mary drank her milkshake and counted. That was nearly nine months. "How did this happen?"  
"We were on our way to Russia ... business. Our plane has crashed over the sea and we both were able to save to a deserted island. A cruise ship has rescued us in mid-November and then we got married on board. Three days later, Christina sees the light of day in Hawaii." She beamed and Mary thought this was a pretty spectacular story. Lindsay ordered for herself another cup of coffee, then led her to her hairdresser. Mary turned curls in the hair, Lindsay waived. Yesterday she had casually said to Connor, she desperately needs a new hairstyle, maybe she could cut the hair a little shorter. Then he bowed to her and told her softly, she should not do that, he liked her hair like this. "Typical man commented," said Mary, "I did not know Uncle Connor is the typical male stereotype and likes women with long blond hair and blue eyes." But it wasn´t meant like this: Her uncle and aunt were a nice couple.  
Mary and Lindsay stayed till late afternoon in Denver, until they finally drove back home. Her first thought was for her baby, and of course Connor, as she parked the BMW in the garage. She had missed them and was pleased to see them.  
The snow crunched under their feet as they were on their way to the house. Normally, this was the time when Christina had a little nap and they had to be quiet. "Hi darling," Lindsay discovered Connor and the baby in his arms. Christina was dozing and she had her face buried in the neck of her Daddy, as he walked with her through the open living area.  
"Hello darling," he said very softly, before he kissed her in greeting, "How was your trip?"  
"Very nice ... Are you coped well with Christina?" She gently petted the babies head.  
"She is just asleep. Otherwise, she was an angel."  
Mary sat in the kitchen, watching the small family. She saw her uncle and aunt gazing lovingly at the baby. And for a brief moment, she wished she would be a part of the family...

Ten days later it was Christmas and Mary went downstairs to see the Christmas tree. Gifts lay under the Christmas tree and Mary remembered that their grandparents had actually been announced for this day. "Unfortunately not," Lindsay had to disappoint them, "I have talked to Julianne on the phone yesterday evening. Edward has got a flu and he needs to stay in bed."  
So it would probably take a while for Julianne to see her grandchildren, but she had sent them at least their Christmas presents by Overnight express.  
After breakfast they took out their gifts.  
"Wow!" Mary was speechless when she opened the gift by her aunt and uncle and pulled out a digital camera and the matching printer dock. With the camera she could make films and photos.  
Next, Mary would open the gift from her grandparents.  
"This is for you," Connor said to his wife and handed her a small, sky-blue box.  
"What is that?", She asked as she pulled the ribbon and opened the gift. Her heart stopped for a beat when she saw the present. "Oh, Connor!" In the box was a ring.  
Connor took the ring and put it on her. "Sweetheart, we are married since six weeks and I think you should finally wear my ring." On the ship on which he had married her, they had no rings and he had vowed that he bought one as soon as possible.  
She thanked him with a loving kiss.  
Meanwhile, Mary was looking for a suitable subject for the first photo, which she would do with her Christmas present. And she found one: she pressed the shutter once, when her uncle and her aunt kissed in an intimate embrace.  
They spent the whole Christmas Day together and Mary watched as her little cousin giggled in her new baby swing. Even Lewis had received a bone on which he munched happily.  
"This is my aunt," Mary said into her new camera and filmed Lindsay, "She and my uncle are married since only six weeks and how they became a couple is a nice story."  
"What are you doing, Mary?", Asked Lindsay.  
Now Mary and her camera zoomed on Christina. "I do a movie for my friends in Florida ... This is my cousin Christina. By the way, my uncle and my aunt are not stuffy, as I initially thought,"  
Lindsay rolled amused with her eyes when she heard this comment.  
"And now I'll show you the mountains..."  
The glass door crashed loud behind Mary and Lindsay started. She hoped they were well insured. Outside, Mary whistled for Lewis and he ran barking toward to her. Together with the dog, Mary sat on a felled tree, which had left her uncle a few days ago next to the garage. The old oak had to be taken urgently, before it crashed on the wooden garage and possibly made a pizza out of her uncle's BMW.  
She put down the camera and pulled a sheet of paper and a pen out of her pocket.  
In fact, Mary thought her aunt was kitting with the letter- thing, but now she wrote a letter to her parents. In the letter, she wrote that her aunt was the most cheerful and bubbly person she had ever met. And with her uncle she could stay up late into the night and watch with him a Star Trek episode to the next. That's not suited to her otherwise rational uncle, thought Mary.  
She remembered: Mary had this Star Trek-fever from her dad. He and his brother Connor had it from their father. Connor once asked Mary if her father had told her about the dog they owned as children and she nodded. "His name was Lenny. Grandmother did not allow the name Mister Spock." So Charles and Connor called the dog Lenny, hopefully the nickname of Leonard Nimoy.  
Mary wrote to her parents she liked Connor and Lindsay and Christina very much, and she and Lewis would be fine here. She told them of snow and the huge mountain on which they lived.  
"Mary," she heard a call from the house. The door to the porch was ajar and her aunt looked out. Lewis, who had been sitting beside her on the trunk, got up and pressed ahead now in anticipation for his supper to the house. "Come in now, Mary. We want to eat!"  
She got up, called for Lewis and went with him into the house.

After the holidays Mary decided to go to the local high school. Although she missed her friends in Florida, but the thought of returning to the place where she had lived with her parents, pushed a dagger into her heart. Her uncle had asked whether it was possible that Mary continued her schooling in Colorado and the youth welfare office agreed.  
Immediately on her first day she was expecting a test in geography. Mary had to admit she was never an Einstein in geography. She decided the day could not really be worse. But she was mistaken: after the break she received her test by the geography teacher who was also her English teacher.  
Of twenty-nine questions she had four answered correctly, more or less randomly. When she was asked about the capital of Canada, Mary had answered incorrectly: Ottawa would have been right-she had answered with Toronto. The capital of South Africa was Pretoria and she only knew because she was once there with her parents. It would have been missing that she had asked the teacher who was reporting about the city of Toledo, "Toledo in Ohio or in Canada?"  
What would she say to her uncle and her aunt when she showed them the F?  
When she left the bus at noon and walked along the way to the farm, she decided to let the homework disappear in her school bag. She did not show them the homework and not mentioned it before. It was also embarrassing to Mary: Her uncle had a professor title and he would have answered the questions with ease. She don´t wanted he thought that she was not as smart as he. But out of sight-out of mind. She swore, to learn a bit more and the F will be soon forgotten.

In fact, she had forgotten the F to early February and the school helped her to distract a little. She always liked it better on Mystery Mountain.  
One night, silence reigned in the house and the children were asleep long ago. Only Connor and Lindsay were still awake: they lay in bed and Lindsay had thrown her legs and her arms around his waist while she gave him a deep kiss. They enjoyed it, to love each other so passionately. Connor had to wait far too long for her but now she was back for him. He loved to pet her and see how she reacted to it. He liked it, that she wanted him so much...  
On "their" island where sometimes days on which they did not leave the bed. Sometimes he missed it. He missed it, to be alone with her. That should not mean that he did not love his child ... He really loved his daughter very much and if it were deliberate, he wanted neither give back she nor Lindsay.  
She closed her eyes and put her hands in his hair. He gasped for air before he brought his wife to climax and then remained lying next to her.  
"Wow!" He brought out breathing heavily and looked at her. "Yes," she agreed, nodding. Her breathing was just as fast as his. Lindsay came to him, put his head on his shoulder and petted his chest. She enjoyed to lay in his arms for a while and clung to him.  
At that moment he remembered what she had said to him on their island.  
"You once said you want more children with me?", He asked and kissed her forehead, "We must get on with it."  
"Yes, but we still have time, right?"  
"Honey, to be honest you're not the youngest ..."  
"Now you're shameless," she said and stopped to pet him.  
"All right, I apologize." He looked at the ceiling and pushed a hand under his head.  
"What happened with you today?" She asked in a calm voice, "You're not so quiet usually."  
"Today I have been thinking about some things ... about us and about Mary ... What do you think of her?" The question was direct.  
"Mary is a nice girl," said Lindsay, "I like her very much."  
"Should we ask her if she wants to stay with us forever?"  
"Do you think we are ready for a rebellious twelve-year old?", She asked back, smiling.  
"Yes, we are."  
"Then we should ask Mary."

"You want what?" Mary's jaw dropped when her uncle and her aunt asked her if she wanted to stay forever.  
"You understood, we ..." says Connor and Lindsay grabbed his hand.  
"We know of course that we can never replace your parents. And we also don´t want. But we think a solid family is important to you. As you already know, I speak from experience. You are lucky you can stay with your relatives and ... Well, at least, we ask you before we take any steps."  
"No, that's very nice. I like the idea. I cannot imagine living anywhere else."  
"Good, then I take care of everything else."  
They took Mary to their lawyer and announced that they wanted to adopt her. They were informed about the steps to be taken and agreed an appointment with the youth welfare office. They wanted to meet tomorrow to discuss everything else. Similarly, they pointed out that there might be a while until the application has been processed, but they did not mind as long as Mary was able to stay with them. She already named Doyle and whether they already signed the papers now, or in two months, looked relaxed to Connor. They were happy soon everything would be fine ...

By now it was April and they had breakfast together at Mary's birthday in the kitchen. The phone rang and Connor went out to speak alone with the caller. He was almost fifteen minutes away and Lindsay thought the call was probably quite important. She did not have to respond to it. Connor told her without being asked, as he sat down again on the table and drunk coffee.  
"Our lawyer has called: The adoption application is made for Mary. If the authorities have checked everything, Mary belongs officially to the family, "said Connor them.  
"How long can it last?" Lindsay gave Christina some tea.  
"Three or four months. The attorney says we should prepare ourselves for a lot of paperwork. But it looks very good so far." He winked at his wife.  
"The good news would not stop, hm?", Lindsay laughed.  
"What does that mean?", asked Mary confused. She had noticed the glance between her uncle and aunt.  
"Well, there's more good news for everyone ... But actually Connor already knows: We will have our second child in November," said Lindsay, and now was cat out of the bag, "If it is on time, the baby is here before Christina's first birthday."  
Mary really was happy about the news her aunt was expecting a second baby. At the same time she was also aware that this probably meant she could not stay here. Her aunt and uncle would have enough to do with Christina and the new baby. If the baby came next November, they would not have much time for Mary ...  
Lindsay took a sip of tea. "But that means we are not able to marry this summer."  
"I thought you were already married," observed Mary.  
"We are. At least before the law... But not before Connor's parents."  
Connor agreed and took a plate from the cupboard, "As you know, the two are very religious."  
Mary nodded.  
"And actually we were planning to get married once again this summer officially ... In the Church," he continued, Lindsay agreed: "But since I know I will have big belly and fit not into any nice wedding dress, we have to wait with the celebration. Maybe next year... Assuming I make it, after the birth of the baby to be thin again."  
Connor and Mary rolled her eyes at the same time. She had already risen almost as if she was pregnant with Christina, but this time they were deserted on an island. Nevertheless, Mary believed her aunt would soon have back her old shape, when the baby was born. And Lindsay hoped it, too. After all, she secretly dreamed of a long, white wedding dress, a pretty veil in her blonde hair and she thought about, how it could be if she married Connor in a fine hotel or in a summer Rose garden. The church was already forgotten.  
"Lindsay? ... Are you daydreaming? ", Said Connor, looking at her. She shook her head slightly and smiled.  
"Yes," she admitted, "About you."

One morning At the end of May, Lindsay woke up in hellish headache. Such bad headaches she had not had since college, when she partied with her friends once and had drunk many cocktails. Connor advised her to stay in bed and she decided to follow this advice.  
He would take care of Christina and Mary found the way to school alone.  
In the evening, her headaches were not better, but she decided to come downstairs at least for dinner.  
"You don´t look healthy," she noted as she sat next to Mary and Connor served them their dinner, spaghetti with tomato sauce. Christina got porridge.  
"Today was an awfully long day," confessed Mary, "I had headaches all day. It feels as if someone hit me with a hammer on the head."  
"I know what you mean ..."  
"I also cannot remember what happened yesterday afternoon," she admitted, and pushed it the first fork with pasta into her mouth.  
Lindsay let her fork fall back on the plate. "What do you mean?"  
"I have a blackout. I cannot remember what I did yesterday afternoon."  
Lindsay agreed. Had it anything to do with the headache?  
They ate and Connor agreed to clear the table so his wife could at least spend some time with Christina. Mary wanted to go outside with Lewis and play Frisbee. She threw his green Frisbee disc, an old toy which she had bought in Florida. If the Frisbee is thrown colored lights were flashing on the side, and Lewis loved this toy.  
Mary threw it the first time and the dog was already in position to follow the plastic disc. As Mary saw the colored lights, she stopped. A strange feeling crept over her and a scream departed her throat. She ran back into the house, and Lewis was probably a bit puzzled why she left him alone. The glass door felt shut and the dog was whimpering loudly in front of her place.  
"Lewis? What are you doing out there? ", Said Connor, who discovered an hour later that the dog was still sitting on the porch and stared spellbound into the house. He let him in.  
Mary stuck for an hour in her room, thinking. What had her just brought to scream? She did not know, but about her thoughts she fell asleep.

In the same night Connor woke up because he heard a deep rumble. He wondered: Probably a landslide solved from the mountain and he got up to look after.  
In the darkness he walked down to the kitchen and switched on the light. He poured himself a glass of water while looking out of the window. The glass slipped from his hand when he saw the Mountain: The Mystery Mountain was burning. Connor jumped for the phone to call the local fire department and police.

"My God," said Mary. Next morning she was driven up with her uncle to the mountain to look at the scale of the disaster. In a long corridor of about 50 feet wide, not a single plant grew anymore. The bottom was like an ash desert. "Do you think someone has deliberately set the fire?", She asked, looking at her uncle. The air stank of ashes and burnt wood. From the corner of her eye she registered as Lewis jumped over one of the bent tree trunks.  
"It is much too precise for an ordinary fire." He pointed out that the devastation constant at all points had a width of 50 feet. The nature around it was virtually undamaged. Not even adjacent trees were singed.  
"For me, it looks like a landing strip."  
Mary was cold. But for what? No airplane would want to land on a mountain. She sensed what he thought.

At dinner, Connor didn´t talk to Lindsay about the situation on the mountain. He didn´t want to scare her. In the night was silence in the house and the moon shone from the sky. Christina and Mary slept calmly in their beds and Lewis was dozing in his basket in the kitchen. Lindsay tossed restlessly from one side to the other in her bed. She saw the baby in her dream: It had an ugly, olive-colored skin. The eyes were abnormally large and disgusting and the head had a frightening form. It had hair only in tufts on the head.  
Lindsay started to scream. Connor woke up immediately and took her in the arm to calm her. Her screams turned into sobbing tears and she was trembling all over. He asked her what had happened, but she was not able to reply.  
Connor asked her if she wanted something to drink, but she not registered. Half an hour later, Connor was relieved she was sleeping again. But he had never seen her before in so terrible panic.

The next day they drove to Denver. Lindsay insisted that they drove into the city. In Mystery, was not the right physician, who could take care of her needs. She wanted to see the doctor, because she described the dream in the night as a warning, but what? Lindsay told Connor nothing about the dream and she insisted she could see the doctor alone. Connor and she made every possible that the baby was born healthy ("As long as what you carry under your heart is mine, too, you relax a bit more please. "). They really wanted this baby ...  
"I set you down at the doctor and then go to Lumber King," Connor told her when they stopped at a red light in Denver, "The fence must be renewed at the southern pasture and I need tools to do so."  
"We also urgently need a leash for Lewis. This morning he ran into the woods, as he should do his business outside", Mary added. Since Lewis had run away, she had not seen him again. Normally, he never ran away from home. Mary agreed to help him at Lumber King, but Connor said he had enough help when she accompanied Lindsay and took a little care of Christina. So he had them off before the doctor's house and drove to the hardware store.  
Lindsay had to wait about half an hour, until a nurse called her and she was taken to the ultrasound. "How far are you?", She asked.  
"Three month," Lindsay did not answer more. She had no desire to tell the nurse why she wanted an examination. Perhaps she thought she is crazy. Lindsay had to answer a few questions, even among other things and if she had to vomit in the morning. She nodded and asked if that was normal. When she was pregnant with Christina, she finally had no nausea feelings.  
The doctor came in, took Lindsay´s hand and began the examination. She looked at the ultrasound pictures very carefully and then shook her head.  
"What?", Lindsay sounded excited.  
"Nothing. I'm sorry, Mrs. Doyle. The baby is developing perfectly normal."  
"But ..."  
"Is it your first child?"  
"It is my second child."  
"Your baby is all right. The body looks normal and the heart sounds are very good. You don´t have to worry."  
Lindsay was relieved, but with a strange feeling, she left the examination room. Mary sat with Christina in the waiting room and tried to read a picture book to her little cousin, but Christina was crying terribly.  
"I think her diaper is full," said Mary, when she saw her aunt. Lindsay said she would change Christina´s nappies quickly, before they went and when they left the surgery, they saw Connor already parking the car and he was waiting for them. The cargo area was loaded with wooden beams.  
"You all right?", He asked his wife when she got in and she nodded: "Yes, everything is okay."  
"Well, then you certainly will not mind if I invite you for a pizza."  
Mary in the back seat said enthusiastically, "Yes!" and Christina squealed. Although she was a little worried about Lewis, Mary was looking forward for the restaurant. Lewis was a big boy. He could take care of himself.

Mary woke up when she heard a loud rumbling in the basement. Tired, she jumped out of bed to see who did so much noise. The digital alarm clock next to her bed was 02:12.  
Probably that was her aunt, she thought to herself. Usually 2 a.m. in the morning was a time when Christina would have a bottle of milk. So she went down and decided to keep her aunt a bit of company.  
When Mary had reached the bottom of the stairs, she was very surprised why the kitchen was dark.  
She spun around when she heard a loud knocking again, this time it came from the front door. In her head the thoughts turned around: Should she open the door and see what was going on?  
She gasped for breath. Then a blue light shone through the glass of the front door and Mary decided to go. With a powerful jerk she turned the front door key, which still stuck. Then she opened the door.  
"Lewis," she croaked when she recognized the chestnut- colored fur.  
He wasn´t breathing anymore, his dry tongue hung out of his mouth and the blue light, which why Mary actually came to the door had disappeared without a trace.

They brought the dog in the morning to the vet, who was on the case more than a loss: for him it looked as if Lewis was fallen asleep and never woke up. Like a sick old dog. The only problem was Lewis was just seven years old and healthy. Mary didn´t like the fact that Lewis' death has been associated with this blue light.  
On the way home Mary expressed her concerns to her uncle and he listened attentively. "Really strange things happen here," admitted Connor. He promised he would call a good friend, as soon as they buried Lewis on the farm.

"Connor, nice you call! How are Lindsay and the baby? ", asked Peter Axon as Connor called him at night.  
"They are fine", they talked briefly about the family while Connor saw through the window, as Mary stood in front of Lewis grave. Lindsay, who carried Christina, lay comforting a hand on her shoulder. Then they went back into the house.  
"Peter, something is wrong here," Connor said on the phone.  
"I knew it! I thought straight away that you don´t call for no reason!", Peter was happy and he wanted to know what was going on.  
Connor thought. "Strange things happen here." He told him about the very mysterious fire and reported by the blue light that was seen in the night.  
"The air is suddenly different ...", he finished the report.  
"Like a storm front," agreed Mary, who had heard his telephone conversation when she wanted a yogurt from the refrigerator, "I feel it, too."  
"Who was it, Connor?" Peter said on the phone.  
"This is Mary, my niece ... A few things are different since the fire on Mystery Mountain... What now? Will you come with a team?" He sounded impatient.  
"Have you talked to your girls?"  
"Well, what can I do?", That was a rhetorical question, "The Ladies are in the majority."  
Peter laughed and promised to get a team to Colorado as soon as possible.

Mary knew she had to do something, but what? The eerie blue light, and Lewis' death had anything to do with each other, the problem was she did not know what and why. So she stayed up longer that night and waited until her uncle and her aunt had gone to bed. She put on black clothes, and put her video camera in her bag. Then she crept down the stairs and grabbed her Uncles front door key, put it out into the pocket and slipped out of the house. She ran away from home and literally slowed down their pace until she arrived in the shade of the trees. Today was a full moon night. She would need no flashlight.  
As she walked along a narrow path (this path was used by Connor whenever he wanted to get on the mountain), she thought for a moment what exactly she would find on the mountain. And what if it was not meant for her eyes? Mary thought it was quite possible that aliens had to blame Lewis's death. And so she knew her uncle thought the same.  
She had to walk about thirty minutes, until she came to a clearing in the forest. The light was very weak here and she should have had a flashlight!  
In the middle of the clearing, she saw a body, about three feet high. She knew, although not very well, but she knew this body belonged not here. She also thought she could see a large round head. She gasped and pulled her camera out of her pocket and pointed it at the figure standing in the middle of the clearing.  
Suddenly a bright light shone appeared and it dazzled her. She dropped her camera and picked it up quickly. Now she could see what the figure in the clearing was: It was a little man with olive skin, a huge head with ugly big eyes. She screamed and she could not help herself, so she ran away. Mary ran and ran and slowed her pace until she arrived back home at the door. She rummaged in her pocket for the key but she did not find it.  
Probably she had lost it in the woods.  
She searched for the spare key and found it in the flower pot, where it was hidden by her aunt. She crept into her room, stuffed the camera in her bag and went to sleep. At least she tried ...

On 01 June the OSIR team arrived and Connor had already seen the big truck. He and Lindsay came out of the house.  
Peter was the first to get out of a subsequent van. "Hi Peter. Nice to see you again! ", Connor said, laughing.  
"That applies to me, too. My goodness, that's a wonderful place."  
Dr. Claire Linda Davison had also come along. "My God, Lindsay, you're pregnant!" Claire embraced her warmly.  
"Yes, in the sixteenth week ... Can you already see it?" Lindsay knew her belly was quite round, but she was pleased that her friend had noticed it.  
"You look great! It fits you!"  
"Thank you ... How is everybody in the office?"  
"We all miss you..."  
"This was exactly the answer I wanted to hear." Lindsay laughed and at that moment Mary came out of the house, she saw the truck.  
She introduced herself: "Hi, Mary Doyle. Nice to meet you", she said to Peter, Claire and Anton.  
"So you're Connors niece." Peter thought it made sense. Except for the dark hair, the two looked not very similar.  
"Well, why are we here?", Anton wanted to know and looked to Connor and Lindsay again. Before Connor could start to answer, Mary came first.  
"We had a collective blackout ... It is called so, isn´t it?", She looked at her aunt and Lindsay nodded, "Here also appear strange, sparkling lights in the night and my dog has died mysteriously."  
"You mean, we are here because your dog is dead?", Peter asked skeptically.  
"Tell them about the fire on the mountain," she turned to Connor and he told them about the fire. Then Mary asked if this was not very strange.  
"Should we dig the dog so Cooper can examine it?", Asked Lindsay but Claire shook her head: "Cooper is not here, Lindsay. He died last year in February in Russia."  
"W ... What? Why haven´t you told us?"  
Claire apologized many times. But after they had met again on Hawaii, Connor and Lindsay were so happy to hold the baby in their arms, Claire could not tell them the bad news.  
"Last night I have been on the mountain and have seen a light," she told them and Connor thought he had misheard: "Where have you been?"  
"On the mountain, I told you. I had my camera and I filmed it." Mary went to her room and took the chip of the camera. She handed it to Peter.  
"If you copy the video, give the chip back to me, please."  
Peter nodded. He would. But first they had to watch Mary´s movie.  
"Do you remember when we both had headaches last week?", asked Mary and her aunt nodded.  
"Yes, I ... I felt like I had drunk a whole case of beer alone, but I…," Lindsay hugged her belly shocked when she saw Peter's amused gaze, "do not drink when I'm pregnant." Lindsay does not even drink coffee since she knew she was expecting a baby.  
"Also, I was totally crazy that day, as I have seen Lewis' Frisbee disc. I do not know why ..."  
"What do you think, if we hypnotize you, Mary? Of course, only if you agree", Anton suggested and Mary looked at Connor. He finally nodded and agreed with Mary.

_It was a beautiful, sunny day. It was last Thursday. Mary and Lewis played ball in the garden while Christina slept on the veranda of the house in her stroller and Lindsay planted a few new flowers in the flower bed. Lewis barked impatiently and Mary threw the ball, the dog followed him and ran into a hedge to get his toys. When Mary had the ball back and wanted to throw it again, she stopped suddenly. In the sky, she had discovered a round, plate-shaped object what flew in about two miles away on another mountain. _  
_The ball fell to the ground. _  
_"Aunt Lindsay?", Mary's voice was very quiet, almost hot, and when she realized that Lindsay did not respond, she turned to her. "Mom!" She cried again, and now Lindsay turned around. _  
_"... What´s up?", She had seen the object in the sky now, too. She kept an eye on that object until she reached Mary, and remained standing beside her. _  
_The object drew a circle on the Mystery Mountain and then over the house. As it hovered over their heads, they heard a faint hum. Then it stopped again on the mountain chain in two miles away before it speeded with lightning and almost noiselessly to the east. _

The shocking thing was, Peter told them while dinner, Lindsay and Mary told independently of each other the same story. Connor hated the idea the two could recall only after Anton's hypnosis. Who knew nothing more had happened? He could not stand the idea someone could do something to his pregnant wife. He imagined the worst stories.  
"What do we do?", Connor asked now.  
Peter had watched the video on Mary's camera by now. The video did not prove much: Peter could only see a lot of light and a shadowy outline. Too little, to proof... Yes, to proof what?  
"I do not know what Mary thinks what we see here ..."  
"Aliens!", the reply came prompt.  
"If this is so, we are here for years ..."  
"Does that mean you want to leave?"  
Now Anton chimed in: "We´ll monitoring the situation and then decide how long we remain in place and what measures we take."  
"But we should hurry," agreed Peter to morose, "I must be back home for Christmas."  
The team stayed until the evening. It was dusk, when Peter, Anton and Claire, wanted to go back to mobile lab. The huge truck parked on the other side of the property, next to the empty stable. The vans of the team were lined up accurately next to the monstrous vehicle.  
"See you tomorrow!" Claire shouted to them.  
"Yes, see you tomorrow. Good night!"  
"Connor, we drive up the mountain tomorrow?", asked Peter, turning around, while he went to the truck, "I would like to see the fireplace."  
Connor nodded and agreed: they drive up to the mountain tomorrow at ten a.m.  
"Peter!" Claire's voice was suddenly loud and her colleague turned around. He saw it: The blue light moved swiftly through the trees, but it did not come closer.  
"God, she was telling the truth," whispered Peter. He had not expected Connors niece had not lied to them.  
The next day he would need to see the fireplace urgently...!

Frustrated, they noted that the Fireplace was the only clue. But they had seen the blue light and they decided they had to stay until they succeeded in capturing light on film. The Doyle family was placed under surveillance by the OSIR.

July was approaching and on a Monday they had breakfast together in the kitchen. Mary told them about a video she had seen last night on the Internet.  
"If she does not stop soon, I'll take off her computer," Connor said softly to his wife. He had seen how Mary had watched on various internet portals videos of UFOs and Aliens.  
"Peter says it's real."  
"Says Peter, Peter says ... Why don´t you marry him?"  
"Do you think I should ask him?" Mary sounded serious, but she laughed when she saw how her uncle rolled his eyes. Lindsay got up to finish a bottle of tea for Christina. Beside the table Lindsay remained suddenly.  
"Are you okay?", asked Mary, as she noticed it.  
Her eyes shone: "The baby is moving!" Her voice was happy and she immediately embraced her stomach. "Connor, come here," she said and reached for his hand in order to place them on their belly. Then she took Mary's hand and placed it, too. They felt like the baby boxed minimal against their hands, but Lindsay felt it a little stronger.  
"How does it feel when the baby is moving?", asked Mary.  
"At first it just tickles," a happy expression on Lindsay's face, "If the baby is a little bigger and stronger, it feels as if someone punches from the inside against the belly."  
She remembered she had an appointment with the doctor after lunch. The doctor said now that the pregnancy was a little advanced, her family could come along to the ultrasound and they accepted the invitation gladly.  
So three hours later they sat in the dark examination room and watched thrilled to the ultrasound. Mary held Christina, while Connor excitedly pressed his wife´s hands. They saw the baby's head, the arms and they heard the heart beat. Then the examination was already over and they went home with an indescribable feeling.  
Connor told he found it incredible to see his child on the ultrasound and this week he wanted to paint the walls of the nursery room. The baby should get the empty room across from Mary´s room. Lindsay said during the trip, that baby would be the last child and Connor reminded her of the conversation they had.  
"We can be happy that there were, next to the master bedroom, three guest rooms what we could converted into nursery rooms in your parent former guest house. Honey, where should your many children live? They cannot sleep in the drawers of our closets." She laughed out loud.  
After lunch Connor and Peter drove up to the mountain. Connor had told the eerie blue light has been sighted last night by a hiker again. Meanwhile, the lights appeared on an irregular basis and the OSIR was not able to film it or take other records until now. They had to rely on the reports of eyewitnesses. But they still had to control the environment. The risk was too big they could possibly miss a proof.  
As Connor had forgotten his cell phone at home, Mary decided to bring it to him. But she did not want to walk. She saddled her grandmother´s horse. "You cannot ride," Lindsay said to her and watched her.  
"Yes, but I cannot drive a car, too. I'll take Uncle Connor´s cell phone and then I'll be back." She turned the horse, rode along the fence and waved her aunt, who was still standing outside the house. Mary was twenty minutes on the road when she reached the place on the north pasture, where Connor and Peter were. Mary stayed for about half an hour with her uncle, gave him the phone and asked if there were already news. Then she returned back home by horse. She had to follow a little-traveled road, until she reached the entrance to the farm. Normally, the road was very quiet, but today an ambulance raced down the street. She wondered what had happened, if she followed the road it will lead to some other farms. The car´s driver had seen Mary, because he suddenly turned on the siren on the roof of the car and sped past her.  
The horse on which Mary sat got scared and rose vertically into the air. Mary slipped out of the saddle and banged hard on the asphalt. The horse was galloping alone on the way home.

"How are you today?", her aunt wanted to know, as she gave her breakfast next day. Mary tried to smile.  
"Even better, thanks." With the fall from the horse, Mary had broken her right arm. Otherwise she was well.  
"I told you not to ride, you shall not ... You can be happy you were wearing a helmet at least. Otherwise you'd be dead now."  
Mary thought her aunt was too worried. She looked at Connor, but he had the same opinion as Lindsay.  
"She's fine", Peter finally said. He, Anton and Claire came to inquire. After the horse had come home alone yesterday, Lindsay had called Connor immediately and asked him if he knew where Mary was. When he said no, she searched for her and asked Claire and Anton to help her. She was sorry, that she literally chased them out of the mobile lab, but she died nearly in anxiety for Mary. Finally, they found Mary lying on the street, she writhed in pain and after Anton diagnosed a broken arm, he splinted her arm and gave her some cast.  
Lindsay´s eyes almost glowed as she listened to what Peter said. "She is wearing a cast, Peter!"  
"Yes, but this is no reason to behave like a fire-spitting dragon ... Connor, would you say something?"  
"I think that ...", he was about to launch into an answer, as there was a knock at the door. Actually, no one was expected, but he answered the door.  
"Are you Connor Doyle?", a woman wanted to know and showed him her ID. It turned out her name was Miss Jarvis and worked for the youth welfare office.  
"I am. Can I help you?"  
"We are here for Mary Doyle ...", she began. Connor saw a tall man with a bald head in a black Mercedes, which parked in front of the house. He knew the man: It was Uncle Ormond. What wanted Ormond here? That was strange!  
"We heard Mary fell from a horse yesterday and her arm is broken," now said the colleague of Miss Jarvis and also showed him his ID, "May we come in?"  
He stepped to side and the two employees of the youth welfare office and Uncle Ormond went through the house until they came into the kitchen. Mary and Lindsay looked surprised; they had no idea who the three strangers were. Anton, Claire and Peter also did not know.  
"Mary, I'm Nina Jarvis and this is my colleague David Fuller. We came with your uncle Ormond to meet you", said the young lady.  
"But why?", actually Lindsay wanted to ask this, but Claire got the drop on it. The people at the table looked horrified when they realized what was going on.  
"Mary was thrown by a horse yesterday and has been injured," said David Fuller, "The evidence indicates this place is not safe for her. And we are very concerned about the safety of children, for which we are responsible."  
Mary wondered how the youth welfare office and Uncle Ormond had heard of her accident, but then it began to dawn her. Probably uncle Connor had reported the accident to the insurance and the insurance had squealed it to the youth welfare office. Probably the youth welfare office had called Uncle Ormond then and asked him if he would take care of her. And Ormond had said yes, for some reason (because at first it did not interest him at all).  
"It's not their fault," said Mary, "Aunt Lindsay warned me I should not ride. It´s my fault."  
"Be quiet, Mary", came from Uncle Ormond.  
"No, it's my turn," her voice grew louder and now uncle Ormond turned around to Connor.  
"See, this is your education. Better, you care about your own child, first, and leave Mary someone who has more idea about it."  
"Are you saying...?", Lindsay gasped. She knew what Ormond wanted to say. "I'm not a bad mother," she sounded very confident , "And Connor is an awesome father."  
"Oh, you know what? What do you have to say to the F in geography, what Mary wrote in early January in school?"  
"What?"  
"If you only had known, eh!"  
When she heard this, Mary's heart lacerated. Uncle Ormond had probably also talked to the principal in her school and asked for her grades. In fact, Mary was a good student. In math she became a bit better with Connor's help, but geography was her weakness. She hadn´t written another bad grade since January. That was unfair!  
Tears sprang into Lindsay's eyes. "You're a lousy ...", now she was dizzy and everything around her began to turn and the next moment darkness was in front of her eyes.

She lay in a bed when she woke up and Connor sat next to her. He read a magazine and looked very worried. "Connor?", She asked, and he threw away the book immediately.  
"Lindsay," he said softly to her and took her hand, "How are you?"  
"Honey, what happened? Where am I?"  
"You have become unconscious. Mary and I brought you to the hospital. The doctor says it is a hard situation for you at the moment…. The farm, Christina, the new baby ... the controversy for Mary."  
"Where is Christina?"  
"Don´t worry, Claire is with her ..."  
As they spoke, Mary stood with crossed arms in front of the hospital room, watching the two. The fact that her aunt was in a swoon was her fault, Mary thought. She had to do something. She could not allow that something happened to her or her baby. Where she went, she drew a trail of destruction behind her: first her parents died and now because of her aunt Lindsay was in the hospital. Mary decided it was might better if she went to Uncle Ormond. Without a word she made her way to the elevator and went to the ground floor. Then she took the bus and drove to the ranch and started to pack her things.  
Connor stayed until the evening with his wife in the hospital and the doctors said she was allowed to go home when Lindsay promised to stay in bed a few days. So she promised not to ride the horse in the coming days and keep the stress away. "I'll go fetch the car," Connor said to her after the nurse and the doctors had left, "I'm back in ten minutes."  
She nodded and decided to put on her own clothes.  
The door slammed behind Connor into the lock and he searched for Mary. She said although she would have been out here and maybe go to the cafeteria for some food, but she knew that they wanted to go home.  
"Sorry," he held to a nurse, "Have you seen a dark-haired girl? She is wearing a striped T-shirt and is about a sixty-eight high?"  
The nurse shook her head.  
So Connor called for Mary, but she did not come. He took Lindsay from her room and she looked at him inquiringly, as she saw his worried face. "What's the matter?", she demanded.  
"I can´t find Mary," he admitted and in these moment his phone rang. He looked at the display. That was Mary's phone number. They had given her a cell phone in case she needed help and so she could call them. "Mary?", he asked, "Where are you?"  
"I'm on my way to Pennsylvania," her voice was very quiet.  
"WHERE are you?"  
Mary sobbed: "I'm going to Uncle Ormond. It's better for you. I am preparing Aunt Lindsay only trouble and I do not want that something happen her or her baby."  
"Lindsay's doing fine, Mary. Come back home."  
"I cannot. Uncle Ormond already knows I'm on my way ..." With these words, she hung up and the dial tone rang through the line.  
"Where is she?", Lindsay said in a trembling voice.  
"She drives to Pennsylvania ... to Ormond." His voice was very dry.  
They drove home, where Lindsay took Christina her in her arms and started to cry. Connor had to call someone urgently with whom he had not spoken for a long time.  
"Aunt Sylvia, it´s Connor."  
"Connor?"  
"Connor Doyle ... Edward´s and Julianne´s son ... Aunt Silvia, how are you doing?"  
"Oh, THIS Connor. I haven´t heard anything of you so long!... I am well, but how are you, after Charles died?", She sounded worried, "And poor Mary ... What is the little girl doing, do you know?"  
"I'm glad you ask: She was now almost eight months with me and now uncle Ormond wants to take care of her."  
"I'm surprised," said Silvia, "Does he have so much money that he can take care of a twelve year old girl?"  
"What do you mean?"  
Aunt Silvia and Uncle Ormond had been divorced for many years, but she still had a glance into his finances. 'This means your uncle has lost a fortune three years ago in Atlantic City and his so-called Castle in Pennsylvania swallows a tidy sum."  
Now it began to dawn on Connor: After they announced the adoption the lawyer had told Connor and Lindsay about Mary's investment fund. This money was saved by her parents, so Mary could go to a good college later. Connor thought Uncle Ormond had heard of the fund, too.  
"Thank you for telling me."  
"Why do you ask for?"  
"My wife and I want to adopt her and for unknown reasons, Uncle Ormond put a spoke into our wheel."  
"You're married?"  
"Yes, a little over half a year ... Aunt Silvia, it was nice to talk to you again." He hung up, heard in the background the question "What's her name?" and went to Lindsay, in Christina´s room. She was standing in front of the babys bed and held her baby in her arms while she was crying. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around his wife. He told her what his aunt had told him on the phone. "What we are doing now, Connor? ... What do we do if they take away our baby, too?" It broke Lindsay's heart that the youth welfare office said she was a bad mother.  
"That will not happen. I promise you," and he never broke his promises, "We bring back Mary ... Just the fact that Ormond does it for the money, will hopefully shake up the youth welfare office."

And it did. With Aunt Silvia´s help, who confirmed the youth welfare office Ormond´s financial situation, Mary was able to come home again. Three days after this incident, Connor and Lindsay signed the adoption papers for Mary and they returned back home as a family.  
On the following Saturday, Connor was in the garage to do an oil change on his BMW, when the doorbell rang. Mary sat still in the living room and her mother planted some new flowers in the garden, so she opened the door. "Good day, Miss. Are your parents at home?", asked a man in a suit and tie.  
"Um ... Yes, I ... I'll go and get them," Mary had recognized the visitor and asked him in.. Then she left the house through the back door and ran to the garage. Connor had just found his equipment for an oil change when she came in. "Dad!" Mary exclaimed breathlessly, "Dan Aykroyd stands in front of our house!"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes, of course I'm sure. He wants to talk to you and Mom!" With that, she ran back into the house, Connor followed her and told Lindsay that she should come necessarily.  
Mary had not fib it: Dan Aykroyd was in thier living room and looked through the window to the Mystery Mountain.  
"Mister Aykroyd, that's my dad," said Mary, smiling.  
The man turned around and smiled at Mary, too. "You have recognized me? That pleases me very much," then he looked at Connor, "You have a very nice home, Mister..."  
"Doyle. Connor Doyle."  
"Nice to meet you," they shook hands, "Your daughter is a very nice girl ... How many children do you have?"  
"Three daughters ... This means currently only two, but the third baby is on its way. We already know it's a girl and we have chosen a name... Mary is thirteen years old, Christina is eight months old."  
"I actually came to apologize to you."  
Lindsay came in and had heard his last sentence. "But for what?", both had no idea.  
"Me and my team shot a film on the mountain and your daughter had seen a shooting at night..."  
Mary remembered. Was this frightening episode only a staged illusion of a film crew?  
"...The blue lights are our fault. These were our trucks with which we have brought the equipment up the mountain", he said, "And I fear most of all I must apologize to you." Now he looked at Mary, "One of our people has hit your dog."  
"But the vet said ..." and further she did not come. The vet had said Lewis would have died like an old dog, just to sleep and never woke up. And what about the headaches she and Lindsay had and what about the UFO, on which they could remember only under hypnosis? And the burnt trees in the forest?  
"How did you know that our daughter was in the woods?", asked Lindsay and the actor took a bunch of keys out of his jacket pocket. That was the key that Mary had lost. It was probably not very clever by Connor to write his address on the key, but in this case, it was awesome.  
Mary heard not what Dan Aykroyd said to her parents, but before he left, he apologized many times, "Mr. Doyle, I'm sorry if we scared you and your family."  
"Now we know that it was just for show."  
Mr. Aykroyd left the house and for a second was silence. Finally, Connor said: "Well, then I call Peter and tell him we all fell for a few film tricks."

The alarm clock rang at this second of November, and Mary literally sprinted out of bed. She got dressed and was about to go downstairs, when Christina began to cry in her crib. She picked her up and went together with her downstairs to the kitchen. Connor was sitting at the table: He drank a cup of coffee and looked pretty tired.  
"Good morning ... Where's Mom?", She asked as she saw Lindsay was not there.  
"On the Couch." He pointed to the couch on which Lindsay was sitting. Mary could not see her mom as she dazzled the sun, but then she recognized her: In her arms was a small baby with a dark mop of hair. It slept, and Mary came nearer slowly.  
"She's born tonight," said Lindsay her in a low voice, "This is Leah. Say "Hi" to your sisters, Leah..."  
"She is cute," said Mary, looking at Christina and then to Leah, "How long are you back home?" She assumed her parents were in the hospital. At least she had no one heard screaming in the night.  
"For nearly an hour," said Connor, who sat next to Lindsay and brought her a cup of tea. Mary also sat down with them and Connor told her that her grandparents and the OSIR knew already the baby was born. Soon they would all come back to Mystery, to watch the baby.  
"You two are crazy," Mary said suddenly to her parents, "When I came here, I thought, you are the greatest philistine in general ..."  
"Thank you for the flowers," Lindsay muttered and grinned at Connor.  
"...But then it turned out that you are really cool."  
They had really sly old ears, this was true: even before they were married for one year, they had three children. It did not care whether it were own children like Christina and Leah or adopted, such as Mary. They were a great family.  
In the evening, Mary went up to her room and sat on the bed. In her hands she held a family photo of herself, Connor, Lindsay, Christina and Leah. She put it next to the photo of her real parents, looking at both images for al long time. Then Mary felt asleep happily ...

End?


	3. Mystery Road

Title: Mystery Road  
Author: Dancing Star  
Pair Ring: Connor / Lindsay  
Spoiler: None  
Summaries: As the title suggests, is about a road that leads the Doyle family in a strange world...  
Comments: Actually the story should name "Lots of Drama"…. Dedicated to all who love Halloween and Las Vegas (Yesterday, I booked my trip to Vegas in August! _"I´m so excited and I just can´t hide it" :-). _

**Mystery Road **

"Mom, can you borrow me a dress?", cried Mary and stuffed her own clothes back into the wardrobe.  
"Pick one... But not the blue! I wear it today", Lindsay laughed and Mary began to search in her mother´s wardrobe for a dress. Mary found a knee-length brown dress with short sleeves. It suited her, so she decided to wear it this evening.  
She was looking forward to see her parent´s friends. They celebrated Leah's birth two weeks ago and her christening yesterday, to what was just the family invited. Anton, Peter and Claire would see the baby for the first time today. And Mary couldn´t wear jeans at such a festive event!  
Meanwhile, Lindsay put some toys in Christina's diaper bag and a few diapers in Leah's. It occurred to her she better should pack in some clothes for the baby. So she put a Hello Kitty jumpsuit in the bag. She dressed herself in her pretty blue dress and then she took care of Christina and Leah.  
"You look fantastic", Connor said to his wife and pushed her blond hair to the side to kiss her on the neck. "Connor," she giggled and then it was time to leave.  
Connor helped Lindsay with the child seats in the car because she wasn´t allowed carrying heavy things since Leah´s birth but she was fine and she couldn´t help doing it.  
Leah was so sweet. She had her Dad´s dark hair and her mother´s blue eyes. She looked so like Lindsay...  
They drove off in time to the restaurant where they had arranged to meet their friends. It started to be raining and the windshield wipers flashed faster and faster over the windshield. A storm thundered over them. Connor looked at Lindsay with a grin. They both were looking forward to the evening.  
When it flashed again Mary cried quietly and Christina beside her began to weep. Christina dropped her stuffed unicorn and Mary picked it up for her. Once again, it flashed, this time much lighter and stronger than before.  
"What´s…?", Connor said a little confused, "I can´t remember this part of the road."  
It was still raining. "Where are we here?", asked Mary.  
Through the rain Mary discovered a sign beside the road and as her father quietly said, "What the...?", she knew something was wrong.  
"Toronto 60 miles", was on the sign. How could that be? They were just set off from home. At home in Colorado. Well, there was a terrible storm but…  
"What do we do now?", asked Mary and looked through the rear window.  
"I´d suggest we stop there," Connor pointed to a gas station that was located on the roadside. Connor stopped the car onto one of the parking areas. He didn´t need to gas the car. Fortunately, he had filled up the tank yesterday. "How could we go from Colorado to Canada?", asked Lindsay, "And in such a brief time?" She was more than confused. She remembered a case which she and Connor had worked on once.  
Mary on the back bank solved her safety belt. "Where´re you going?", asked her mother.  
"Um ... I've seen there's also a computer in the gas station. I ask if the computer has Internet and if so I am looking where exactly we are."  
In fact, the computer had Internet access and per half hour, it cost only 50 cents. "I need your Internet access for half an hour," Mary smiled and dropped a dollar on the cashier´s counter. Fortunately, Mary had her bag with her.  
"I'm sorry, Girl. But I can´t take your American money", said the woman. Mary had forgotten that!  
"But you can change it at the bank!... In addition, it´s just a dollar. Please! My family and I have completely lost and we don ´t even know where we are!"  
"Now let her to the stupid computer!", she heard an older woman's voice from the back of the gas station, "I have a feeling the girl is in real trouble!"  
The woman behind the counter rolled annoyed her eyes and said "Please help yourself." Mary thanked her, sat down at the computer and booted up the internet. "Sorry, what´s the next city on the map?", she asked.  
"Toronto. If you are driving further north you won´t meet anything on this road in the next 60 miles until you arrive in Toronto at some time."  
Mary could figure out on Google, how far away it was form Toronto in Canada to Mystery in Colorado. She swallowed. 1480 miles! That was impressive: How could they travel in such a short time this long distance?  
She heard the door opened again and Connor came in. He opened the door for Lindsay, too. Leah was on her arm. Christina, who had just learned how to walk, was by her side. They sat down next to Mary at the computer.  
"So, where exactly are we?", Connor wanted to know and Mary showed him the location on the map: a few miles west of Toronto a red dot lit up.  
"Another problem is," began Mary, "When I wanted to pay for the Internet, it occurred to me we only have American money with us."  
"That's right," Connor said and told them there was a small cash dispenser in front of the truckerbar next to the gas station. He was there, trying to raise money from his account, but he only received the notice his account wouldn´t be available. "But really strange is...", Connor said, pointing now to the time in the right corner of the computer screen and Mary didn´t understand. It was 11:30 p.m. Connor didn´t mean the time, but he wanted her to click on the field so that the date got visible. Mary did and she stopped breathing. If this were true, today was the 14th of November 2000.  
"This is a joke!", Mary was convinced it was a mistake.  
"We first thought the same", said Lindsay, "But the cash dispenser shows the same date."  
"And what do we do now?", Mary hardly dared to ask.  
"We have to get home somehow," suggested Lindsay, "Connor, how much cash do you have with you?"  
"Two hundred and fifty dollars", Connor calculated, "We´ll manage about 1250 miles. That means..." While he calculated, Mary tapped on the computer.  
"...Our trip is over in Kearny, Nebraska", she said.  
"Provided we do without food and diapers for the kids and sleep in the car during the cold nights." Lindsay sounded less enthusiastic, watching as Mary left the webpage. Perplexed she looked at her parents.  
"Can we reach the border with the current tank of fuel?", asked Lindsay and looked at Connor. Their American money was useless in Canada.  
"Could be a close thing", admitted Connor and Mary suddenly had an idea: "What about Peter?", she said, "We are only ended up in the future. We call him and ask him to help us."  
Connor and Lindsay looked at each other and finally they nodded. Peter would certainly help them and so they decided to call him. They thanked the station staff for the free use of the internet and went out. Lindsay brought her sleeping daughter inside the car and put Christina in her child seat. Fortunately, Lindsay had packed in some toys for her at home, so Christina didn´t mind.  
"Mary, do you have your phone with you?", asked Connor. He had forgotten his cell phone at home, Lindsay's phone hadn´t enough available funds.  
"I have my phone always with me, you know!", she said with a grin, "Can you remember my last birthday?"  
"Of course!"  
Mary's birthday was in April and although Connor and Lindsay were living in their new home for almost six months they had never been to the lake, which was on Mystery Mountain. They visited the lake at Mary's birthday, rented a pedal boat and headed out into the lake. When they were in the middle of the lake, suddenly one of the pedals broke and they could only proceed with one. With one pedal they would, however, turned in a circle.  
"Thank God I have my phone here," said Mary facilitated.  
"Whom do you want to call?", asked Connor back and saw a dead fish, "The Coast Guard?"  
"Well, we just paddle back to the shore!", of course knew Mary, they had no paddles.  
"And how are we gonna do it?"  
"I thought you would do this!"  
Fortunately, they avoided to argue now. Mary handed her cell phone to her mom and she looked in her mobile´s phone book for Peter´s mobile phone number because she didn´t know it by heart. It rang twice. Then someone answered the phone.

"Peter, Hi! It´s Lindsay!"  
Peter, who was in the mobile lab turned around, confused. Was it a joke? Lindsay sat just next to him and they talked about the current case. On the assumption the call was fun he decided to play the game.  
"Haven´t seen you for a long time," he said.  
"Yes ... Um, Peter, we need your help. We are stuck in Toronto. Don´t ask how that happened! We were on our way to the restaurant... Remember, where we had dinner in '98? The restaurant is called Luigi's in Mystery..."  
"What are you talking about? And who are _we_?"  
"What? Peter, don´t act like you wouldn´t know…"  
Peter heard how another voice intervened in the background and he was ice cold when he heard it. "Let me talk to him", said the voice and Peter recognized it. Peter had to leave immediately. He rushed out of the lab and sat in his car, where he was alone with his cell phone. "Who are you?"  
"Peter, that´s not funny. It´s me, Connor! "  
"But you are ... And Lindsay was..." Now he understood. He asked Connor, where they were and wrote down the location. It would take approximately an hour before he was with them. So he drove off.

When Peter reached the gas station it was already dark. Precisely at midnight, the station had closed and only a lone car parked on the dimly lit parking lot. He put his car next to it and got out.  
The gray BMW opened its doors, too. "Thank God," Peter heard Lindsay saying. He was a bit surprised when he saw her. Peter had been so sure Lindsay stayed in the mobile lab. On the way here he had thought about what had probably happened, but that she stood before him, convinced him it was not a joke by the Lindsay Donner he knew. This Lindsay looked a bit different: She had a little longer hair and her clothes to go by, she was on the way to a party.  
Once again it was cold when he saw that Connor was standing directly beside her and looked at him confused.  
"What? You look as if you had seen a ghost!", Connor noted.  
First, Peter didn´t know what to say.  
"Peter, you have to help us. We are stranded here in Toronto and have no idea why. We have to go back home somehow."  
"Where is that?"  
"Stupid question!", Lindsay looked at him, "In Colorado. And you know it."  
"No, I don´t know ..."  
"Peter, what's going on here?", Lindsay was more excited, "You need to know about it, after all this is the future."  
"No," Peter folded his arms in front of his chest and leaned against his car, shaking his head, "Not only. It looks like it is also a kind of parallel universe."  
"How do you know?"  
"Otherwise your hairs are shorter", said Peter, looking then at Connor in contrite. He didn´t know if he should tell him or not. But he decided to do it. Better, they learned it from him than from someone else. "You, Connor, died in 1997 ...In Russia. I'm sorry to tell you that."  
Lindsay gasped. "My God", she took his hand, "The plane crash..." This explained why Peter had looked horrified.  
Connor nodded. He´d like to think the plane crash had saved his life.  
Peter didn´t understand and so they told him their plane had crashed over the ocean in February 1997 on the way to Russia and they could escape to an island. They were about to come to the point where they told him about Christina, when the rear door of the BMW opened and Mary got out. "Mom", she said, "Christina's crying."  
Lindsay went back to the car and Connor felt they had to tell a lot.

"And now?", Connor said a little bit perplexed. Lindsay had to calm Christina and the baby was asleep. Connor had no idea what he was thinking about the statement he was dead in this world.  
"Well," began his wife, "You said we need to get home. Maybe we have no home in this world. Our house is still your parent´s."  
"Then I call them and ..."  
"Your parents think you were dead, Connor", Lindsay reminded him. He nodded approvingly, watching Peter who talked to somebody on the phone. After they had told him about the children Peter though about how this should go on. He came to the conclusion he couldn´t leave them in this cold. They had to come to the mobile lab and he better should tell Anton what had happened. Peter had finished the phone call and returned to them. "We can drive off," he said, "And we better hurry. Even I had to drive an hour."

They were an hour and five minutes on the road when they finally arrived at the mobile lab. Connor stopped the car, took a deep breath behind the steering wheel and looked to the white truck with no inscription. "What's wrong?", Lindsay asked him.  
"Haven´t seen it for a long time", he said and smiled at her then they got out. Meanwhile, Mary was actually asleep and her parents didn´t want to wake her until they knew how it should go now. Connor told her he needed a moment alone and so Lindsay went to the white truck.  
Peter waited in front of the entrance for them. "Anton is here for exception and he knows you are here. He prepares Lindsay…"  
Lindsay nodded. Seeing Connor again would be a shock for her other self. Provided ...  
"This might be hard for all of us", said Peter, "May I ask you something?"  
"Of course."  
"Before you should leave for Russia, you and Connor… Were you... I mean, you ..."  
"What? If we were in a relationship at this time? The answer is No... But I can´t speak for the Lindsay, who lives in this parallel world. At best, you ask her."  
"Lindsay has given me the blame. She hadn´t talked to me for a long time."  
"I can understand that." Lindsay hoped he wouldn´t misunderstand this. Peter finally turned around and said: "Then I'll go in."  
When he entered the mobile lab, Anton prepared Lindsay Donner for what was expecting them. "The good news is: Connor is here."  
"What? He is ... He is", she gasped," How is he?", she asked, looking at Anton. He sat opposite to her.  
"Yes, he's fine, but there is something you should know", Peter began and he heard how the front door of the lab opened. Lindsay Donner got up and held her breath, as Connor now stood a few feet behind Peter. "Hi," he said, "It's great to be back here."  
Lindsay Donner fought back tears and had to sit down again. She felt dizzy. "Is he ...?"  
"No, I'm sorry. He comes from a parallel world. That's the bad news", said Anton, who looked at Peter asking, "You said on the phone, he was not alone, Peter."  
"Sorry, I was outside and...", with a fabulous smile on her face Lindsay Doyle walked into the lab and stayed next to Connor. When she discovered her version herself, the good mood was instantly gone: The woman who was sitting there on the table looked exactly like her but her face was as if she had just seen a ghost.  
"I think we all should sit down and calm," suggested Anton and they went into the meeting room. At the moment Lindsay Donner had not the strength to go with them. She couldn´t. So she stayed here for a while and tried to think about what had just happened. "Lindsay, I can do something for you?", asked her colleague Mia Stone and sat next to her, worried.  
"No, thank you. I´m okay."

An hour later, Connor had told them again and again that they set off to an Italian Restaurant in 1998 on an evening in a small town called Mystery in Colorado to celebrate their first anniversary and the birth of their second child with their friends.  
"... I've already told you!", Connor sounded impatient, "We got into a thunderstorm, there was a flash and suddenly we were in Toronto in 2000." His wife sat beside him and looked at him with concern.  
"How should you overcome such a great distance in a few seconds?", asked Mia.  
"As I said before, too: I don't know."  
"If I remember correctly, here was a storm, too, today," said Lindsay Donner and everyone in the room looked at her, "Maybe it has something to do with it."  
Mia mumbled a "good idea" and went to the computer. Maybe she could find out something about the weather situation on the North American continent and if her colleague was right, then the Doyle family was a victim of a gate between worlds. Just imagine what could happen if this phenomenon would occur again, or if they could control it! Then they had the opportunity to find out how their lives would have been if they hadn´t taken many decisions. According to Peter parallel worlds based on the fork principle: For every decision that was taken or not taken, there could be a parallel universe. It had to be endless...  
"Something´s not right," Lindsay Doyle suddenly said and Mia turned to her. She didn´t know what she meant.  
The door to the mobile lab was opened and then Mary came in with a crying baby on the arm. Christina followed a bit slower. "Who are you?", said Mia, "And how do you know the PIN for entering the lab?"  
"Peter told me", replied the dark-haired girl, "By the way, I´m Mary…. Here is Leah", Mary said to her mom and put the baby in her arms. "Hey, sweetie," Lindsay's eyes lit up when she saw her little daughter and when the baby heard her mother´s voice, she stopped crying. Tired the tiny little baby hid the face on her mother's neck.  
This scene lacerated Lindsay Donner´s heart: Connor was here, but he was happily married and had three children. It was exactly what she had always wished for.  
With Leah in her arms Lindsay came back to the group. "We should call it a day", she suggested. Not only the baby on her arm was tired, she also was. Connor nodded in agreement and because they couldn´t spend the night in the cold car, Peter suggested they should remain in the mobile lab. He felt he could trust them...  
Lindsay Donner and her colleague Mia wanted to stay and check the weather situation on the computer.

The inside of the mobile lab was fulfilled with the darkness of the night, as Lindsay carried her youngest daughter in her arms and lulled her gently to sleep.  
Lindsay was so exhausted and tired. Probably it was because she had got a baby less than two weeks before. Maybe it was their situation. She didn´t knew it exactly, but probably it was both.  
She gave Mary and Christina the bed. Leah slept in her baby seat. The kids had calmed down so she went outside and sat down next to Connor on the stairs which led to the mobile lab. Connor looked up to the sky. It was a beautiful clear night.  
"Déjà vu," said Lindsay and told him he looked like in their second night on Mystery Island, when he sat on the rocks and tried to determine their position.  
"I didn´t expect to get lost between space and time someday. I mean, it's something else to strand on a desert island", Connor took her hand in his. "Anyway, I imagined this day a bit different," he admitted.  
"Me too." Tired she leaned her head against his shoulder. They had planned to celebrate their first anniversary and Leah's birth with their friends in Mystery. But the evening was meant to be differently.  
"It´s just important we are together," he began, leaning towards her to kiss her. She longed for him, but then she remembered where they were and they could possibly seen by Lindsay Donner.  
"No" she said and turned away, before they touched, "Have you seen her face when she saw you? It is better if we don´t do that." She couldn´t forget Lindsay Donner´s shocked and disappointed facial expression in the moment Connor was standing face to face to her. It wasn´t certainly easy for Lindsay Donner that Connor, who lived in another parallel world, was pretty happy with her. She had seen Lindsay Donner had noticed how Connor looked at his wife. And how she held her breath when she saw the kids.  
"Connor, I can´t," she said, getting up. She had to walk a few steps, so as she could recover from the day.  
Without a word, Connor left and entered the mobile lab. He looked for the kids: Mary and Leah were asleep, only Christina seemed to be a little bit nervous.  
Tired, he took a pillow and a blanket and settled on the gray couch which was in the mobile lab. He just sat on the furniture when he noticed a noise behind him. It was his wife and he saw she had apparently been crying.  
"I'm sorry," she told him and sat down beside him on the couch, "It's just ... I try to handle you´re not alive in this world and I... I can´t imagine how awful that must be. Connor, the truth is I can´t live without you for even one day. I love you so much."  
Silently, he took her in his arms and registered, as she sobbed a few times in tears, before she finally fell asleep exhausted.

The next morning, Lindsay woke up in his arms. Connor was on the couch and was still asleep, so she decided to enjoy they were alone for a moment and she threw her arms around him and leaned her forehead against his neck. She liked to wake up this way. In his arms, surrounded by the warmth that was radiated by his body. For a moment she had forgotten where they were, she closed her eyes and snuggled up to him to fall asleep again.  
Suddenly she heard a noise in the next room. First it was a sigh, then a scream which got louder and louder. Leah was up now. "Oh," disappointed she raised her head and tried to get up, but at that moment Connor grabbed her hand.  
"No, stay," he said, "I'll take care of Leah."  
"You're awake?"  
"I am wake after Christina and Leah had cried three times last night." He got up, took the baby from the next room, so Mary and Christina could sleep for another while. With his daughter in his arms, he sat down beside her. "They were pretty nervous tonight," he told her.  
"Why didn´t you wake me?"  
"You looked very tired... I don´t mind to take care of our kids in the night." If the baby´s awake in the night, Connor and Lindsay took care about Leah and Christina together. For Lindsay it was a great help, because if Leah woke up at night and wanted new diapers, it was pretty sure Christina would follow soon and vice versa.  
Lindsay leaned back in her pillow satisfied. "If it means so much to you, you can take more care of our kids in the night and let me sleep late."  
"Bad mother," Connor said to her and hustled her a bit, it wasn´t meant like this. And her smile showed him she also knew that.

They continued the conversation in the afternoon and Lindsay took care of her kids so she took Christina and Leah for a walk. Luckily they had brought the stroller, too. When they were back Connor was still under discussion. He and Mary listened to many reasons why two parallel worlds became one. She had no idea how long the meeting would take so she drank a cup of coffee with Mia and talked a bit to her. Mia was very friendly, as she found out. They talked nearly half an hour, when Anton asked Mia to him and Lindsay Donner left the meeting room. "Hi," she said and smiled.  
"Hi. I hope we haven´t scarred you yesterday."  
"It's all right", Lindsay Donner sat down beside her on the couch and watched how the meeting went on.  
"Did you already find out something?", Lindsay with Leah in her arms wanted to know.  
"Yesterday evening was a bad storm here and around Mystery in Colorado. It happened at the same time, in which you and your family appeared. But that´s all we know at the moment. Therefore, Antonio called a friend who knows about it."  
"Mommy", said Christina and handed her mother a stuffed animal with which she had played. Lindsay smiled at her daughter and she climbed up on the couch beside her mom. Christina watched anxiously as her little sister drank her bottle of milk and then she had fallen asleep in her mother´s arms. "Baby", said Christina and Lindsay nodded, "Yes, that's a baby."  
In addition to Mommy, Daddy and Mary, Baby was one of the few words Christina could speak. In the word Mary she couldn´t speak the R in the right way.  
Lindsay Doyle was apparently a very good mother. It was very nice to see Lindsay had maternal qualities, but she was also sad because now she knew clearly what she missed. Lindsay didn´t know why, but then she asked: "May I hold Leah?"  
"Of course," Lindsay gave her the little sleeping baby in her arms.  
"The two look pretty similar to you," said Lindsay Donner to her. Christina and Leah were so similar to their mother. They had the same blue eyes, same face, only the dark hair color came by Connor.  
And Leah was such a cute baby. She had such tiny hands and her hair was as soft as silk. "How old is Leah?"  
"She´s two weeks old. Christina is one year old in a few days", she said," When she was born, she was so small and helpless and the doctors said, it´s almost a miracle she survived because of the circumstances. She is our little miracle... It's great to have kids but sometimes it isn´t easy. While I was pregnant with Leah, I had such back pain." But Connor was so sweet to her during both pregnancies.  
"You know, I have often thought about how it could be to have children with him." That was true. And she had often imagined what would be if she would settle down with him somewhere and stop all the traveling for the OSIR to be the mother of his kids. Or about waking up in bed next to him and kiss him good morning.  
"It must be very hard for you to see us that way."  
"Yes, it is." She envied Lindsay for what she had.  
"Why didn´t you..."  
"What?... Oh, understand ... I think I... I just waited too long and then it was too late. Suddenly he was gone... But it's nice to see you are happy."  
Both of them felt uncomfortable in this situation.  
"How long do you know Connor?", Lindsay Donner asked now, looking at her.  
"Not much longer than you, I think", Lindsay smiled.  
"But Mary is thirteen years old, right? That means, you have to know him for at least fourteen years... "  
"No, Mary isn´t our biological daughter, she is adopted. She is the daughter of Connor's dead brother... Actually, Christina and Leah are our own kids, but Mary calls us Mom and Dad. We have a lot of fun together."  
She told her how they celebrated last Halloween with a party and Mary had even invited some friends. Lindsay tried hard to arrange the perfect party: The whole house was decorated like a creepy castle from the inside and outside and she made Halloween Food. Mary loved Halloween. For her it was the best day of the year. She was dressed as a witch and Christina cried like crazy when she saw her sister. She clung desperately to her Mommy, who was dressed as a Greek goddess. It was a simple costume and because of her high pregnancy belly, it was also one of the few costumes that had fitted her. "I won´t wear a pumpkin costume for sure!", Lindsay had announced and put on her long with dress and placed an olive branch wreath on her head. She was very happy she hadn´t dressed up more difficult, Christina was scarred enough. Her little daughter was afraid of the figures who were dressed as witches, pirates, fairies and skeletons. "Here´s Dad," said Mary, when her father showed up in his costume. He was dressed as a vampire: he wore a black and red cape and he even had an artificial mouth. "Wow, you look great," said Lindsay and threw her arms around him, "You're a hot vampire."  
Connor laughed and kissed his wife. Christina on her arm watched them skeptically. She seemed to wonder, what the pale man in the Leech costume wanted to do with her Mommy.  
They celebrated a great Halloween party together. After all the guests had left, Connor put Christina to her bed and Mary said Good Night, too. Next evening, it was November 1st, Lindsay was in hard labor pains and Leah was not born in the same night. Connor was already looking forward the remaining birthdays `cause then they could always celebrate into it with a Halloween party.  
They talked about many things that afternoon. They had much time to do so, the meeting lasted until evening.  
As the door to the conference room opened and Connor came out he looked very tired.  
"Are you okay?", asked his wife and looked at him anxiously.  
"Anton says, we have to wait again until a storm appears that has the same strength as the storm with which we came. This means we could maybe wait forever."  
"Not forever", said Mia, "but only until tomorrow. The weather front which is currently over the eastern North American continent comes to us. I hope you don´t mind, to stay a few days."  
"No," Connor said, "As long as we can return home."

Two days later time was ready. The foothills of the storm, which had announced its arrival, were already felt in Toronto and Anton was convinced his plan would work.  
The kids were already in car and waited until they would drive off, as Connor was looking for his wife. He found her in the mobile lab.  
"Here you are," he said and came to her, "What's wrong?" Connor had noticed she looked very worried. But there was something else. Something he couldn´t interpret. The visit here had changed something in Lindsay.  
She looked at him and her eyes sparkled a bit. Connor couldn´t determine why.  
"After this I appreciate your nearness a bit more now ", Lindsay said softly to her husband, "It isn´t a matter of course to be together with you."  
She grabbed his hand by chance and he held her and for a while. "Come on, we have to leave" he suggested, "Let's go home."  
Together they went outside, where Anton, Mia, Peter and Lindsay Donner had gathered before the car.  
"According to the weather station you´ll take twenty miles to reach the next storm", Peter said.  
"Thanks for helping us!", Lindsay said to Peter and Lindsay Donner. It seemed to be hard to let them go.  
"Never mind. It was a pleasure", told Peter. They parted from each other and regretted they couldn´t stay in touch. Then they had to leave.  
"Do you know where we have to go?" asked Mary, after fifteen minutes on the road.  
"Over there," said Connor without losing track of the dark clouds and he accelerated. The storm before them looked really scary, thought Mary. And it already rained in torrents. Christina began to cry and Mary grabbed her hand to comfort her little sister. Worried, Lindsay looked at her daughter.  
A lightning struck a tree next to the road. It grew darker and another flash was struck in the car. The windshield wipers pushed the mass of water quickly to the side and now Mary could see some lights. "Is that ...?", asked Mary, and got up. The rain stopped.  
"We are in Mystery... What date is it?", asked Lindsay. Connor decided to go to Town Hall. There was a light dynamo, which showed the current date on the wall of the City Hall. Mary and Lindsay were waiting anxiously for the date on the display: Today was November 14th 1998. They weren´t even away for one day.  
It felt as if they had been traveling for days. At last, her dad drove the car to the restaurant where they had an appointment with their friends.  
They got out and saw how several cars passed by a wet road. Connor noted how Anton's car parked here and his parent´s was in front of the restaurant, too. Julianne and Edward arrived in Mystery "yesterday" because they didn´t want to miss the christening of their youngest grandchild. And he hoped his parents would not respond to the last days. If they do, they would get to hear an incredible story. He had to talk about it with Anton later...  
Connor and Lindsay rushed. "Hi Anton. Nice you came, "said Lindsay when she saw him," How was your flight?"  
"Very well, thank you," His eye fell in the stroller, "That´s the baby?"  
"Yes, this is Leah."  
"My goodness, Lindsay, you look fantastic! How could you find in your old shape so quickly?", Claire cried suddenly and hugged her a little boisterous.  
The door behind them opened again and Lindsay suggested they should be seated. In addition, the cold wind was not good for the baby. Connor took Lindsay´s and Mary´s jackets and hung it up for them. Then they sat down at the table and waited for the rest of the group. Claire took the last seat at the table. Lindsay was surprised when Claire said: "Now everybody is here"  
"Does it mean Peter is not coming?", asked Lindsay and Claire nodded, "He has no time."  
This was unusual, thought Lindsay. Peter was one of their best friends and when she had called him two weeks ago and invited him, Peter had promised to come. Probably he changed his mind, or he really had no time...  
"Mary", Julianne Doyle said to her granddaughter, "Would you exchange your seat with me, please? I want to hold Leah, too." Mary exchanged her seat with her Grandma´s so Julianne sat next to Lindsay and was able to hold Leah. Julianne was crazy about her grandchildren. They talked about Leah's christening yesterday and the baby had cried when the holy water was cold on her forehead. Mary could even show them some photos.  
"What are we celebrating?", Claire asked suddenly.  
"Leah's birth, our first anniversary, Christina's first birthday. Thanks Giving in ten days. Pick one." Lindsay noted Claire was a bit confused.  
They accepted Peter would not come, so it would be just a dinner for seven. Mary also was disappointed that Peter was not there. After dinner, Lindsay apologized she had to leave for a few minutes, arguing she had to refresh. But actually it was only a pretext to talk alone with Claire, who went several minutes ago to the ladies restroom. Her feel was never wrong before. She knew something was wrong.  
She was relieved no one else was in the ladies restroom. "Claire, what's wrong?", she asked.  
"What should be wrong?", she answered.  
"Two weeks ago, Peter wanted to come. So something must have happened. And I won´t shake the feeling you have something to do with it."  
One of the booths opened. "Nothing had happened." Claire looked pale and Lindsay told her so. "A food allergy," she justified herself.  
"Let me know if you feel better", with these words, Lindsay went. Her friend was not very talkative. Disappointed Lindsay sat back on the table, where Anton now held Leah in his arms. "Lindsay, the girl looks like you," said Anton.  
"Thanks," she picked up Connor's hand and smiled at him. Accidentally she looked to Claire, who sat opposite them next to Anton and looked pretty unhappy. Lindsay knew something was wrong and she wondered why Claire would not tell her.

On the next day´s afternoon the doorbell rang impatiently at the house where the Doyle family lived and Connor opened with Christina on his arms. The visit was Claire.  
"Is Lindsay at home?", she asked and he nodded.  
"Yes, she is. Come in", he asked Claire to the living room where she sat on the couch. Then he went upstairs to Lindsay. She fed the baby and Connor told her Claire was here. Barely two minutes later Lindsay sat down on the couch with Leah in her arms and facing Claire. "Hi", she said and the baby was still drinking from the bottle.  
"First I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday," began Claire, "And I have to talk to you so badly... in private." She looked at Connor.  
"All right," he said and looked at Christina, "Come on, sweetie. Let's go outside and look for your grandmother´s horse." He took his and Christina's jacket and went out with her.  
Claire sighed with relief when the door was shut behind him. She looked at Leah, who still was in Lindsay's arms and sucked on the bottle.  
"What?", said Lindsay, "Claire, Leah is a fourteen-day-old baby. She won´t tell anybody what we are talking about."  
"That's not... I'm pregnant ... In the twelfth week", Claire said, adding this was the reason why she felt ill yesterday.  
"This is wonderful."  
"No, it´s not."  
"How can you say this? If you hold your baby in your arms for the first time you´ll love it so much that you don´t want to give it away anymore." She looked lovingly at Leah.  
"Maybe, but I'm afraid of the pain and I´m not in the mood to stay in hospital."  
Lindsay understood. While she and Christina had to stay another three days in hospital, they were dismissed after Leah's birth in a few hours ("See you," a midwife had said to them when they left the hospital after Leah´s birth.). Claire asked how she did it.  
"I told the doctors this is already my third baby," she replied and in fact that was not a lie, "They thought Leah is in good hands." Just because Mary was not her biological the daughter, it didn´t mean Lindsay couldn´t coped with young babies. "The condition was that I stay in bed at home for one week and visit the doctor regularly for an examination of the caesarean section scar." She wouldn´t tell Claire the fact it was still terrible painfully. And the labor pains at the second delivery where harder than the first on Christina´s birth.  
"It´s Peter's baby," Claire said suddenly.  
"Is that the reason why he hasn´t come along?" Lindsay's eyes widened.  
"No, he doesn´t even know. He hasn´t come along, because his father got sick and he had no time to tell you."  
"How did it happen...?"  
"It happened after Anton´s birthday party. We had probably a bit too much alcohol and you can imagine the rest... I cannot take care of a child alone. Lindsay, would you and Connor...?"  
It took a moment until Lindsay knew what Claire was saying. "No," she said, "we can´t do that. It´s YOUR baby, Claire."  
"But you are fantastic parents and you already adopted a child..."  
"Claire, we cannot. I'm sorry you are in this situation, but if you don´t want the baby, you must give it up for adoption. There are many couples who want a child."  
"But not me! A baby changes the whole life and I'm not ready! "  
Lindsay knew Claire was right: A baby changes the whole life. If Lindsay wanted to go shopping with two small children and a teenage daughter, or if they wanted to take a walk, it was as if they would have to move: they don´t only need the twin stroller, in which Christina and Leah sat, but also their diaper bags and bottles. Before Leah was born, they had sold Lindsay's old car and replaced it with a minivan. In addition, Connor has never been in London or Mexico and in fact he had planned, to travel there with Lindsay and Christina. Then Leah happened and they adopted Mary and Connor now believed he would never travel to London in the near future. For some reason, Lindsay knew it wasn´t longer important for him to travel to London. They loved their kids.  
"I hate being pregnant," said Claire stressed, "Since I know I'm pregnant, I gained ten pounds, my underwear doesn´t fit and my feet are swollen. I cannot eat mozzarella and I have to puke, when I think only about meat. My stomach itches constantly, I can´t go jogging and in a moment I could laugh and cry in the next...", Claire paused briefly, " I cannot understand how some women claim, they did well during the pregnancy. But I definitely don´t belong to the women who are happy, skinny and..."  
"I understand."  
"How do you manage this, Lindsay?"  
"What?"  
"To have two little children? I mean, you and Connor are married since more than one year and you already have two little kids. Did you still have a love life?"  
"Of course," Lindsay answered honestly and thought briefly about the hot act in the shower this morning ("Come on, sweetheart. Mary is in school. Christina and Leah are sleeping...", he had whispered in her ear, caressed her under the warm water gush and she couldn´t resist.). A glance was enough and she knew he wanted her.  
"Don´t say you hate being pregnant," said Lindsay, "You know ... five years ago I visited my family. It was my grandmother´s birthday but she asked again if I actually ever thought about children. At that time I didn´t believe I would ever have kids. Until I met Connor and we both landed on this island", she smiled happily, "Anyway, my cousin gave a speech to my grandmother some women may try to become pregnant for two years or were infertile. As far as I know, my cousin has got a baby but it was hard she and her husband could not immediately have a child. I imagine sometimes how it would be to be in their situation and I come to the conclusion I don´t want to be a single day without my two sweet kids."  
The doorbell rang and Claire looked around uncertainly. "Are you expecting someone?"  
"Yes, the midwife regularly passes for seeing Leah and me", admitted Lindsay and opened the door with the baby in her arms.  
"Hi Mrs. Woods," she said and asked the midwife to come in. Claire decided to leave and she greeted the midwife greeted with a quick "Hello" and outside she entered in her taxi and drove off.  
"Hi, Lindsay. How are you?"  
"Fine ... Um, do you want to examine Leah?"  
"Yes, let´s go to the diaper changing table." When Mrs. Woods said his, the door opened again and Connor entered the house with Christina. "Good day, Connor... and this is Christina? If I'm usually here, she´s always sleeping. This is the first time I meet her." Mrs. Woods smiled and Christina clung desperately to her Daddy and looked away.  
"Christina's a bit shy at the moment," admitted Connor.  
"This is quite normal for children in her age." Mrs. Woods looked at Leah's reflections, weighed her, measured her and asked a few more questions: "She eats a lot?"  
"Yes, she has a healthy appetite."  
"Is Christina jealous about her little sister?"  
Connor and Lindsay denied the same time. Then Christina wanted to her Mommy and Lindsay took her on her arms. Leah's examination was over and Mrs. Woods put the baby in Connor´s arms. She left and on the way to the door Lindsay stopped her.  
"Mrs. Woods, may I ask you something?... My husband and I already adopted a child, but I wonder if... So, I wanted to know if parents can visit her kids in a foster family or if they give the kids up for adoption…?"  
Mrs. Woods widened her eyes frightened and Lindsay immediately shook her head. "Not because of us. We love our children... But my friend…"  
"The person who has just passed us?" Mrs. Woods was in disbelief.  
"Exactly," Lindsay nodded as she snuggled Christina, "The baby was not planned and she doesn´t want to keep it. And she wonders ..."  
"Lindsay, you tell your friend she should ask me after that. Otherwise, I´ll get a heart attack", Mrs. Woods opened the front door," See you tomorrow, 3 p.m."

In the evening, after Mary went to her room and Christina and Leah were asleep, Connor prepared the table in the living room. He lit up the candles, when he heard Lindsay closed the door to Christina's room. She came down the stairs and wondered why he had given so much trouble: the dim light, the roses on the table, the delicious food. A warm feeling enveloped her when she had reached the end of the stairs.  
"Sit down," he said to her, and she smiled: "What have I done to deserve this?"  
"May I not show you how much I love you?"  
"Of course", she smiled. Lindsay liked it when he surprised her. It was so romantic ...  
They took place at the table and he sat down opposite her. Connor was waiting for a compliment, but she seemed to be depressed. He took her hand lovingly. "What´s wrong?", He asked.  
"Claire asked me to adopt her baby."  
She remembered he knew nothing of it yet and so she told him Claire had reported about her pregnancy today and she wanted them took care of the baby because she didn´t fell ready.  
"And what did you tell her?", Connor asked, looking at her intently.  
"I have said it is impossible."  
Leah was just two weeks old. Lindsay had no time to think about having another child. They loved Mary, Christina and Leah, and were very happy with them. She also had said a few months ago she doesn´t want to have more kids. She found, as a full-time mother she was very busy with her three children: It was enough to get up in the night for tow little children. Although Connor helped her, a third little baby would overstrain them…  
"Claire also said it is Peter's baby."  
Connor knew nothing more to say. He searched for words and finally he asked her how it came to this. Lindsay told him it happened on Anton's birthday party and the two had been drinking a lot.  
"Connor, was I right? I mean, should I have agreed to Claire's request? I´m so sorry!" Her voice sounded desperate and Connor squeezed her hand tighter. "I think you did the right thing," he said, "Another baby would charge us too much at the moment. And then we couldn´t cope with our own children or with this baby." Lindsay's heart melted when she heard him say this. That was precisely the reason why she loved him so much.

The next day, Lindsay sorted out some clothes and put them in a box.  
"Mom, what's that?", Mary asked when she saw it. In the box on the kitchen table was a broad belt of black stretch fabric.  
"This is for Claire. This belt is for during pregnancy, so you can wear normal clothes without being too short."  
"Will you give it to Claire?"  
"No, I borrow it." Lindsay had no idea if she wanted a third baby, but maybe in a few years...  
She packed to her maternity clothes a few baby clothes, too.  
Mary took Christina out of her baby chair and went out with her. "Hi, Dad," she said to Connor in passing. Connor also wondered about the box of clothes. Finally, he put a chocolate bar in the freezer and Lindsay rolled her eyes. She had never seen someone who froze chocolate bars. "Do you think it wise to lay it on ice?"  
He told the bar wouldn´t mind between ice cream. And besides, he would put it only a few hours in the freezer.  
"Lindsay?", asked Connor an hour later when he was looking for his chocolate bar in the freezer. Meanwhile, Lindsay had sorted out more maternity clothes and packed it in a box. Claire had come now and helped her. She wasn´t thrilled Lindsay wanted to give or borrow her so many things, but some help was better than no help. "Yes, honey? Are you looking for your candy bar?", asked Lindsay.  
"Have you eaten it?"  
"No, Mary did."  
"And how do you know?"  
"Because she was in garden and has proclaimed loudly she had been biting her teeth on a rock-hard ice." Lindsay was laughing and Claire had to giggle a little. Suddenly Lindsay presented her a very unpleasant question: "How are you and the baby?"  
Claire scowled and Lindsay immediately realized she doesn´t even need to ask if she had seen a doctor.  
"I´m not interested if boy or girl," Claire is justified.  
"Claire," Lindsay began and held on to one of the boxes, "I talked to my midwife. If you really want to give up the baby for adoption, you can always call her."  
Claire thanked her, but asked why Connor and Lindsay did not want to take care of the baby. Lindsay finally told her they had lots of work to do with two small children at the moment. She also told her Connor was the same opinion. Claire understood. She stayed until evening and after dinner she wanted to order a taxi which brought her back again to the hotel where she lived.  
"You don´t have to go back," said Lindsay, "Stay here tonight." Mary suggested she could sleep on the couch tonight, so Claire could stay at her room. All agreed…

A strange noise woke Lindsay at night. She got up to look where the sound came from. In Mary's room light was turned on. Maybe something was wrong with Claire, she thought, and tapped gently at the door. Nothing. Suddenly she heard a sob and stepped inside. The first thing she saw was the large blood stain in bed. Her pulse quickened and she immediately went into the little bathroom, which abutted to Mary's room. Lindsay's heart stopped when she saw a weeping Claire in front of the sink: her nightgown and her hands were full of blood. Shocked, she grabbed Claire's jacket and took her downstairs. She tried not to make too much noise, so the kids continued sleeping. By Claire´s sobbing, Mary at the couch was awake. "Mom?", Mary asked confused and she was rubbing her eyes.  
"Go back to sleep," whispered Lindsay, took her own jacket and went with Claire to the door. Outside, she put Claire it into the car then hurried back into the house to leave a message for Connor. She put a note on her pillow and then drove with Claire to the hospital.

Connor woke up alone in the morning and he discovered the note on his wife´s pillow. It took a while before his view was clear enough to read it:

_Good morning, my darling, _  
_if you read this, I´m still in hospital with Claire. There were problems and I didn´t want to wake you. Please don´t worry, I'm fine. _  
_I love you. _  
_Lindsay _

What time was it? He looked at the clock: Almost seven p.m. in the morning. Tired, he went to Leah's room, picked her up and went downstairs. Luckily, the couch was empty: Mary got up for school in time. "Hi Dad," she said and fed Christina, "Mom has gone to the hospital last night. Something´s wrong with Claire."  
"I know," Connor confirmed and explained he had found a message on her mother´s pillow. Connor was grateful that Mary took care of Christina. They heard how the door opened and immediately Connor and Mary ran to it. It was Lindsay, who had come home. She looked tired. And she must have cried. When she saw Leah on Connor's arm, she had to cry again. She wrapped her arms around him and cried her eyes out.  
"Dad, I´ll take Leah," said Mary, took her little sister and brought her back into kitchen. Connor pushed his wife close to him and tried to comfort her.

At noon, Lindsay had calmed down. Nevertheless it was a terrible idea to be in Claire´s situation. She couldn´t imagine a life without her children.  
She took care of the children by noon and when Mary came home from school she asked her to take care of her sisters.  
Because Mary's mattress was ruined now, she drove off to buy her a new one. Then she wanted to visit Claire. She left her children at home: She could imagine the sight of a newborn baby after a miscarriage was very hard for Claire. On the way to hospital, she had considered if she should buy flowers or another get well gift. But she didn´t. She knocked softly at the door and entered. Claire was in her bed and had turned her back to Lindsay. "Hey, Claire," said Lindsay and sat on a chair, "How are you?"  
"It is my fault," said Claire, sadly. She didn´t want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to die, exactly how the baby did...  
"That's not true."  
"I didn´t want to have the baby from the beginning. Now it's dead."  
"This is not true."  
Claire began to sob and she gasped for breath. Lindsay wanted to take her in the arm for comforting, but Claire didn´t want to. She was crying until her friend had left.

In that night Lindsay woke up because she dreamed, about the ride to the hospital. She dreamed of Claire´s bloodied nightgown and her bloodied hands and how she cried.  
Lindsay got up when it was impossible to sleep again. She sat in the living room next to the window and watched as it was raining outside.  
Then she heard how the stairs creaked and groaned and one minute later Connor was beside her. He looked at her anxiously. Connor didn´t need to ask why she had got up and what worried her.  
"She is a mope, since it happened," said Lindsay, "I'm thinking all the time, if I should call Peter and tell him what happened... Connor, you know, I´m imagining how it would be if we were in their situation."  
"You cannot compare."  
"Why not?... Imagine if we were in their situation. Wouldn´t you want to know that I was pregnant?"  
"Of course, I would want to know but you cannot compare anyway. Our kids are born out of love. Not because we were drunk on Anton´s birthday party."  
She was silent for a moment. "What makes you so sure Peter doesn´t love her?"  
"He would have tried to find her."  
Lindsay nodded sadly. Connor was right, she though. She clung to Connor and closed her eyes. "Let's go back to bed," he suggested and she agreed. Together they went upstairs and into his arms, she managed to fall asleep again.

"How are you today?", Lindsay visited Claire in the hospital next day. Claire lay in her bed and had turned her back to her friend. "Fine...", the answer came reluctantly and Claire sniffed.  
"The doctors said you can go home now..." Lindsay took a travel bag from Claire's closet and began to pack her things.  
"So what? I'm not fine. I want to be alone."  
"I understand, but..."  
"I've seen…", Claire said wearily, "After the baby has been… removed... I've seen it. I've seen the tiny little fingers and feet... And then I realized I WAS looking forward to my baby and I will never hold it in my arms…. So leave me alone. I can leave the hospital when I´m ready."  
Lindsay muttered a quiet "Whatever you want" and left.

In the early evening, the doorbell rang and Lindsay, who worked with Mary on a photo album, opened the door. She was amazed at who was standing outside her door. Claire had left the hospital and Lindsay was glad she had not crept herself into her hotel room. "Hi Claire!", Lindsay tried to smile and closed the door behind herself. It was cool and she wasn´t wearing a jacket, but she didn´t want her to come in. Christina and Leah were in the living room in her playpen.  
"We don´t go in?"  
"No, let's take a walk ..." Together they walked around the house and Claire looked to the top of Mystery Mountain. In the dusk of the evening the summit was surrounded by a cloud. "Lindsay, it's cold out here," Claire began. She wanted to go inside.  
"All right," Lindsay gave in and they entered the house through the back door. They were in the kitchen and how Lindsay found out Mary had left the room.  
"What's that?", Claire discovered a book with a pink cover on the table.  
"This was a gift by Julianne", said Lindsay. She was glad Claire had left her shell and had found at least the way out of the hospital. But then it occurred to her Mary had just been here and she helped her with a photo album. Too late! Claire already held the book in her hands, which contained numerous black-and-white photographs. While Christina had no ultrasound photos nor pregnancy pictures, but only pictures after the birth, there was a whole album of Leah: almost one book was filed with Lindsay's pregnancy photos and Leah's full scans. In one photograph Connor held his seven-day-old daughter in his arms and she looked at him with wide eyes, her dark hair stood on end.  
Claire turned back to the ultrasound images in the twelfth week. "Could you see on this pics if it´s a boy or girl?"  
"Not yet. These ultrasound pictures are not very reliable. Before Leah's birth, I imagined how it would be if the doctor suddenly had to write Doyle, Male on the bracelet because we only had chosen a name for a girl and we would paint the nursery room in another color." Lindsay giggled as she remembered.  
The doorbell rang again. "Do you mind if I company Mary and Christina outside?", Claire asked, while Lindsay was on the way to the door. Mary and Christina played "soccer for babies" and for Christina it was difficult to kick the ball away. Claire went out to them and Lindsay took care of with the visit which was waiting at the door. She was startled a bit when Peter stood before her.  
"Peter?", Lindsay was surprised and she suspected a large thunderstorm would break when Claire saw him.  
"Hi," said Peter Lindsay and gave her a big Hello Kitty- stuffed animal, "This is for you!"  
"What?"  
"Just kidding. It´s for Leah." He handed her the stuffed animal and entered the house. "You don´t sound particularly enthusiastic to see me", noted Peter and now Lindsay noticed he had a bag with him. His stay was not short-lived, he intended to remain longer.  
First Peter apologized for the fact he couldn´t come to Luigi's. He explained his father was terribly sick, but he luckily cheated death again.  
"That's nice," said Lindsay and she realized her voice sounded nervous.  
"Why do you behave so strangely?"  
"What? Me? No!", Lindsay tried to grin. Damn! Peter had smelled the rat immediately. He knew straightaway something was wrong.  
"Anton told me Claire is here."  
They entered the living room and when Connor saw him, he raised up his eyebrows a little bit horrified. Worried, Lindsay grabbed Connors hand and looked at him. She swallowed.  
"What's going on?",asked Peter. Usually Connor and Lindsay didn´t behave like this. They seemed to hide something.  
"Well, I think you should know something about Claire..."  
"Yes, It would be interesting, why she didn´t appear for days."  
"Claire is here because something happened on Anton's birthday party...", Lindsay began and Peter knew immediately what she meant, "Claire was pregnant but..."  
She didn´t even need to speak the words to an end because the back door was flung open and Claire came in. Both were gasping for air then they turned around and Claire ran away.

Lindsay still tried to calm Claire, while Connor left the house with the weeping Christina. They were looking for the horse in the barn and Connor fed it.  
Peter accompanied him. "Can I ask a very personal question?"  
"Sure," said Connor when he threw hay in the horse´s stable.  
"Were you with Lindsay when Leah was born?"  
"I was with her when she gave birth to our two children."  
"Is it really so bad like all men say?"  
"Well, you should know it isn´t funny. Lindsay almost broke my hand on Christina's birth… But when Christina was born…. It was incredible. There´s no feeling that describes only approximately, how it is if you hold your first child in your arms." Connor looked at Christina, who was sitting on another straw ball and she discovered a cat. Giggling, she pointed to the animal. He recalled since Lewis's death constantly roamed strange cats on his property. He had to buy a new dog quickly...  
"I never thought about of being a father."  
"Peter, there's something you need to discus to Claire."  
"What?" Peter asked skeptically. Connor took Christine back on his arm.  
"It´s not my part."

Connor was already back in house for an hour and he and Lindsay watched anxious through the kitchen window, how Peter walked restless through the garden. He thought about something and had asked them not to disturb him. Again and again he scratched bewildered his head, sometimes it also looked like he would throw away an imaginary object.  
Claire, however, sat in the living room and stared straight ahead. She knew she had to talk to Peter about it, but not now ...!  
"What is he thinking about?", asked Lindsay and petted gently Leah's back. The baby had just received a bottle of milk. "What exactly did you say about Claire, Connor?"  
"Nothing," her husband answered truthfully, "Peter asked me if I was present at Christina's and Leah´s birth. He wanted to know how it is to become a father." Still she watched as Peter was walking in the garden. It began to dawn already.  
"We should ask him in," Lindsay said with a smile, "If he stays out much longer, perhaps he´ll freeze to death."  
"I think it isn't necessary." Connor saw, how Peter walked to the house, entered it through the back door and then stepped into the living room where Claire sat.  
"I want to be with you during the delivery", he announced.  
"You want what?", Claire thought to have misunderstood.  
"I´ve discussed this already with Connor."  
"I think, it's really fantastic, Peter!", Claite was loud, "that you discuss this with everyone except me! But there is nothing more to discuss. The baby is dead!"  
"What?"  
"It's dead! I have lost it!"

After this discussion, silence awkward in the house. When Claire had confessed to Peter she had lost the baby, she was also running. Along the way she ordered a taxi by cell phone and when she was back in the hotel, she called Lindsay to tell her she was fine.  
Peter was puzzled and shocked at the same time. He was staring outside the window, out into the garden.  
The children were already in bed, but after what had happened, Lindsay wasn´t able to sleep.  
"I'm sorry, Peter", Lindsay folded her arms across her chest. Worried, she looked at him.  
"You know," began Peter, "For a moment I was looking forward to become a father."  
"Yes, I know," said Lindsay, "Connor told me you questioned him about it."  
The phone rang and before her kids would wake up Lindsay answered the call. She listened intently to the caller then she hung up. "It was Claire," she said, "She says she desperately needs to refrain some and leaves. She doesn´t know when she will come back."  
"What? Can we stop her?"  
"I don´t think so. She said she is already in Denver at the airport."

To be continued ...


	4. Mystery Creek

Title: Mystery Creek  
Author: DancingStar  
Rating: 12  
Pairing: Connor/ Lindsay  
Summaries: Mary doesn´t know if a dog and a strange woman, appearing on a country road, are real...  
Notes: I have nothing to say this time. Who would have ever thought?

** Mystery Creek **

Lindsay was lying in her bed and listened to the sounds of the evening. On her chest was her four-weeks-old daughter and she heard her gentle regular breath. Leah slept and gave her mother the time to think a little.  
It was two weeks ago, when Claire had disappeared without trace after she had lost her own baby. It all happened so quickly: Suddenly, Peter came, which was excited and thrilled by the thought of being father. When he had learned, however, his baby was dead, he felt as if he were in a terrible nightmare. Sure, it wasn´t easy for him to know his baby could not live, but at least he had not left without saying where he was. Lindsay had no idea where Claire was and how she was. At worst...  
The door opened and Connor came in. He greeted her with a quiet "Hi" because he didn´t want to wake the baby and kissed her gently.  
"Hi," she replied just as softly and smiled. Connor knew immediately about what she had thought. Of course he was also worried about Peter and Claire, but he had to think about his wife. He felt it depressed her. Since two weeks she heard nothing from Claire, she was almost sick about it. She couldn´t sleep since days. There was no night in which she wasn´t lying in bed restlessly. Connor then crawled to her under the blanket and threw his arms around her so she stopped to move and she remained mostly all night lying in his arms. Connor tried everything so she felt a bit better, he helped her wherever he could but he couldn´t do it forever. Last night, he set light to Leah's cherry pit pillow because he didn´t know that the pillow must be taken out of the stuffed animal first and then put it in the microwave. So the cherry pit pillow landed with a soft toy in the microwave and there it had caught fire. When Lindsay saw it, she had been crying. The toy was a gift from Julianne and it upset her very much it was broken now. Connor apologized to her and held her comfortingly in his arms until she had calmed down. But sometimes she looked so sad without reason, that he wondered if she was still happy with him at all. At first he had tried to blame it on the hormones and he feared she might have a serious depression, but there were no signs. Finally Lindsay loved her baby.  
"Should I take Leah to bed?", he asked and she nodded. He took the baby on his arm and walked out. Lindsay heard when he said in the hallway to his daughter: "Your Daddy wants to be alone with your Mommy again." She smiled and noted that she missed his nearness. In the last two weeks she neglected him so much and she knew the thing between Claire and Peter wasn´t her business, but they were her friends. Since, she hadn´t received one single sign of life by Claire...  
Connor came in again and lay down in his bed. Worried, he looked at her. "I know you're worried about Claire," he began and next moment she threw her arms around him.  
"Don´t talk about it," she said. Her head rested on his chest and she could hear his heart beating. "Connor, I'm sorry I've neglected you in the last days..."  
"What nonsense! You didn´t neglect me. I…", he noticed she was already asleep, so he put his arms around her. Connor didn´t feel neglected at all. She still was a great, lovable woman and a fabulous mother. He was more worried about her. If Claire wouldn´t call soon, he did not know what he should do to calm Lindsay.  
In this position, she stayed all night and next morning Connor realized satisfied she had not wake him because she hadn´t tossed and turned in bed. This was the first relaxed night Lindsay spent in the past two weeks...

The next morning, Lindsay took care of Christina. Together they played with Christina´s dolls and Connor watched how his daughter threw her arms around her Mommy´s neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Lindsay laughed and a grin flashed on Connor's face. She was a wonderful mother and he wished he could do something so she felt better. A few days ago she had asked him if it was probably her fault, that Claire had lost the baby. She said she shouldn´t have told Claire how wonderful it would be to have an own child and it was the greatest joy on earth for her, because obviously it was not the same for Claire. She also had the opinion it was wrong to suggest, Claire should spend the night here and Connor hugged his wife, horrified and told her she should not even think about it. He realized he had to distract her somehow.  
"Dad, can you take me to Erin?", Mary asked loudly and came down the stairs with a bag. Erin was Mary's new friend from school. She lived on one of the surrounding farms and Erin was a very talented show jumper.  
"It's Sunday," her dad declared and put down his coffee cup, "Why do you want to visit Erin today? You see her in school."  
"Yes, but we need to work on our school project: The history of the city." The thought shook Mary. There was no worse for a special project than the local history. Mystery was a small, less interesting place at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, about an hour away from Denver. Mary hoped she and Erin would find a fascinating subject, which was about the City of Mystery.  
"Fine, I'll take you to Erin," Connor gave in, emptied the coffee cup and said goodbye to his wife with a kiss.  
Outside, Mary and her dad got into the BMW and set off. "How's Mom?", Mary asked suddenly, when her dad drove the car down the road. Even Mary had noticed her Mom was not feeling well lately. And she knew it had to do with Claire. "I hope your mother feels a little better soon," Connor admitted. After a curve two cars blocked the street and Connor stopped his vehicle. He got out.  
"Hey Connor," said one of the men standing near the cars. The man was Hugh Carmichael, he lived on the adjoining farm and his cattle were grazing in summer on the north pasture of the Doyle family. "There has been an accident," Hugh told, "Probably one of them was a little too fast." Hugh was a rescuer at the accident scene.  
"That's the second accident in this curve this week."  
"The red car," Hugh turned half around, "...Is not from here. The driver overestimated his own driving skills."  
While Connor and Hugh talked, Mary remained sitting in the car and when she once looked in the mirror, she saw a woman in soaking wet clothes standing on the street. Her dark hair hung in her face, her skin was pale and Mary could only partially see her face. The sight of the woman scarred her and when Mary turned away from the mirror, let the window down and stuck her head out of the car, the woman was gone. She got out and went to the place where the woman was standing.  
"Mary", Connor was on the way to his car and noticed she left it, "Mary! We have to go back. We have to make a detour!"  
"But the route to Mystery Creek Bridge takes half an hour!"  
"If you wait until the road is fit for traffic it may take hours!"  
"Okay!" Mary was almost on the way to the car when she heard a noise. She stopped and saw a dog sitting by the roadside. She hadn´t noticed the dog before. With prying eyes, he looked at her. "Dad, here's a dog...", Mary cried, briefly to looking at him. When she wanted to take a look at the dog, he was gone.  
"Perhaps it´s McCarthy's dog...", said her dad.  
Mary thought it was very strange. The woman and the dog had disappeared without a trace. Mary let out a disappointed breath and got back into her dad´s BMW. Her dad drove her to Erin, they took a detour on the Mystery Creek Bridge.

In the previous night it had snowed for 20 cm, again, and Mary was convinced the school bus had trouble on the streets today, so she listened to her radio in the morning.  
"The following schools are closed today because of snow," said the host on the radio, "West Jefferson Middle School in Aspen Park, Bear Creek High School, Bailey Elementary School, Bailey Middle School, Buffalo Creek Elementary School, Chatfield Senior High School, Colorado Springs College, Foxton Primary School, JK Mullen High School, Mystery Elementary School, Mystery High School... "  
When Mary heard the name of her school on the radio she jumped up, turned off the radio and went out. Outside the barn she saddled her horse and led it to the snow-covered meadow, next to the garden. Mary climbed in the saddle.  
About five minutes later, Connor reached the barn and found his mother´s favorite, sandy- colored horse was missing. The saddle and the bridle were missing, too.  
"Where's Nancy?", asked Connor and his second, pied horse nodded. From the corner of his eye he saw, that Mary and the horse were already out in the paddock. "Mary," he cried and came closer, "you don´t have to be in school?"  
"They are saying on radio school has closed today," she cried when she let her horse trot. Connor decided to believe her. After all, there was no reason why he should not do that.  
Mary said goodbye to her dad. She snaffled Nancy along the pasture´s fence. When the main road was in sight, she discovered an old man in a green coat and with a cane.  
"Hey, Mr. McCarthy," Mary cried when she saw him passing by the fence.  
"Good morning, Mary," replied the man. Mr. McCarthy was the only man on an abandoned farm in the neighborhood. As far as Mary knew one of his children should inherit the farm, but because they weren´t in the mood for agriculture, all animals were sold. This fast selling contributed to have a second horse in their stable: After Mary had learned how to ride and in the afternoon she was always on the road with her new best friend, Connor desperately needed another horse. Finally, there were enough places on the mountain, which could only be reached on horseback. And so he bought Big Red, a Colorado Ranger Horse. Big Red was the ugliest horse, which Mary had ever seen: He was huge and the front half of his body was dark brown, while the rear half (with the exception of his legs) was white and covered with black spots.  
Mary let her horse trot and when she reached the fence, her sandy-colored mare stopped. "Mr. McCarthy, my dad wishes to inform you your dog run away again."  
"I have no dog," said Mr. McCarthy and went on very slowly, "The dog is probably owned by another neighbor."  
Mary didn´t believe this. She knew the dogs of the neighbors, but perhaps a neighbor had bought a new dog or it was a stray dog that hung around in the area...  
"See you soon, Mr. McCarthy," called Mary and turned her horse in the opposite direction. Mr. McCarthy said he had no dog. But she had no idea where the dog came from.  
"Mary," called a voice and she turned her mare around. She saw her best friend Erin coming up the street on her horse. Erin waved and her horse nickered.  
First, the two rode up to the mountain where also a lake was. "The History of Mystery is boring," said Erin. They talked about their school project and although they had spent yesterday with research, they had no exciting topic. Marys last paper work in history was more exciting: It was about the strange laws of the United States and how they came about: In Colorado, the state in which they lived, it was illegal to drive a black car on Sunday. In Tennessee, it was illegal to shoot whales form a moving automobile (Tennessee was not even next to the ocean). In Las Vegas wasn´t allowed to sell dentures and in Kentucky it was illegal for pigeons to fly over the city of Bellevue.  
"We should stay at home at project day," suggested Mary, laughing. They reached the lake and as they rode along the shore, Mary saw a little brown fur ball sitting under a tree. "There he is again. It´s the dog I saw at the accident location", she sat up in the saddle.  
"Maybe he's been following us," Erin speculated, "Maybe it is a wolf which suffers on rabies."  
"I never saw this kind of wolf," said Mary again. She turned around briefly and when she looked again at the tree under which the dog had been sitting, he was gone. Mary decided to ignore this incident. Perhaps it wasn´t any dog which was sitting under the tree, but a hare. She didn´t know.  
When it was late morning, they rode back home. At this time, Connor had just returned with Big Red from the west pasture, where one part of the fence was broken.  
"Hi, Mr. Doyle!", Erin said when she dismounted from her horse, "Can my horse join Big Red and Nancy in the barn?"  
"Of course," said Connor, Erin thanked him and then they took care of their horses. When the horses were fed, they wanted to go into the house and Mary noticed a caravan near the house. The caravan had probably been white a very long time ago, now it was covered with splashes of brown mud and the car looked as if it would fall apart at any moment.  
"Whose caravan is this?", Mary asked, turning briefly to her dad, who brought Big Red in his stable.  
"Peter."  
"Who is that?", asked Erin.  
"This is my uncle."  
"You said your dad would have only one brother and your Mom and your adoptive mother would have no siblings." Erin knew her friend Mary was adopted.  
"Well, he's a very good friend of my parents. Actually, he is like an uncle to me."  
"Wow. And I always thought my family would be crazy."  
"Let´s go in," suggested Mary and pushed her friend to the house.

Of course they were happy Peter had arrived, but they had no idea what this old caravan meant. Connor said the caravan was not worth a penny and he wondered why it ever had a license. Peter thought the trailer was the sale of the Century. He told them he had bought the vehicle one week ago, took a holiday and wanted to drive through the country to think about lots of things. His first road led him back to Colorado. "I'm sorry I ran away so quickly after this disaster," apologized Peter.  
"It´s ok," Lindsay told him during dinner. They all sat at the dinner table and talked.  
"Yes, but... My goodness, we have ruined Christina's first birthday." Peter was disappointed. He had bought a great gift for his goddaughter.  
"Should we celebrate her birthday again?" , asked Lindsay and in her mind she saw herself baking a second birthday cake. After this disaster, Lindsay tried everything to give pleasure to Christina´s first birthday. They celebrated without Peter and Claire, but with the rest of the family.  
"I know it´s a pretty inappropriate question, but do you know, where Claire is?"  
"No, unfortunately I don´t know. I try to reach her permanently, but she doesn´t answer her cell phone."  
Lindsay also looked very disappointed. "How long do you want to stay, Peter?", asked Connor, Peter shrugged his shoulders and said he had all the times and he could stay as long as he wanted. He probably would have to stay a while, because outside it was snowing again that you could not even recognize your own hand. "Erin, do you want to stay with us today?", asked Lindsay and Erin nodded gratefully.  
"Okay, I'll tell your dad," Lindsay picked up the phone and spoke to Erin's dad. Then Mary and Erin went upstairs in Mary's room.  
"I think your Mom is really nice," said Erin. Erin's mother had left the family seven years ago, because she never felt comfortable at the countryside. As far as Mary knew, Erin's mother was a singer and she left one day to run away without a word. Erin didn´t even know where her mother was, she never got a sign of live from her. One morning, she and her dad woke up and Erin's Mom was gone with all belongings.  
"Do you think we should search for the dog?", Erin asked suddenly.  
"No," said Mary, "I don´t steal me away at night. I have learned." Mary told her the story, as Lewis had disappeared one night and the next morning he was lying dead on the doorstep. Then she went to Mystery Mountain alone in the night, where she had an alien encounter. As it turned out later, it was only a shot for a movie. Mary told her friend that Dan Aykroyd had personally apologized to them because of Lewis.  
Suddenly the light was off and Mary's digital alarm clock was also broken.  
"Power failure", commented Erin.

An hour later, Connor took care of Christina. They sat together in the armchair in Christina's room and he read a story for his daughter by candlelight, when she threw her arms sleepy around his neck. Connor found the book some time ago in the attic and it was the story about a princess who fell in the hundred-year sleep.  
"Mommy," Christina said suddenly, pointing to the drawing in the old book. He wanted to tell his daughter the princess in the book was not her Mommy, but on looking closely, he realized she was right. He was excited to see prince charming!  
"Daddy," Christina pointed again to a drawing, this time it looked quite similar to her father. It was almost scary and Connor wondered how this old book had actually come to the attic and why the characters in the story looked like him and Lindsay.  
"...The prince and princess lived happily ever after," Connor finished the story a little earlier. Christina, who was already asleep, would not mind if he ended the story at the point where Sleeping Beauty had pricked on a spindle. He put Christina to bed, covered her with a blanket and left the room with the book and the candle in his hand. In the hallway he looked at the pictures. It was almost as if he was looking at a drawing of himself and his wife. And suddenly he had an idea. He would ask Mary tomorrow if she had an idea where the book came from, but now he had to talk to Lindsay. He hastily went downstairs and saw her sitting on the couch. She read a book by candlelight, too. Because of the snowstorm which raged outside, there was a power breakdown. They had been without electricity since one hour and a neighbor had already been here and informed the electricity would be available tomorrow morning. Even Peter in his trailer was sitting in the dark.  
"Hey Honey," Connor sat down beside her and threw his arms around her, his chin rested on her shoulder and he read with a few lines of the novel. "What are you reading?" ,he asked. It seemed to be a pretty tragic novel. As if they hadn´t experienced enough tragedies in recent weeks!  
"It is a very passionate story with a very tragic ending," said Lindsay.  
"We need to talk. It is quite important..."  
"You have something up your sleeve," she smiled and put the book away at last, "I knew immediately."  
"What, if you could spend one night in a department store and you can buy whatever you want?"  
Puzzled, she looked at him. "Seriously?", she asked and heard him laugh.  
"No. But what if we take the money, what we´ve recieved from my parents and book some holidays?"  
"Connor," she sounded shocked, "Your parents gave us the money so we can get married in church." He also seemed to forget she had given birth to a baby four weeks ago. This still meant a lot of stress...  
"We still can... First, we should do something good for us. Sometimes I don´t recognize you anymore and I really wonder if you're still happy with me", he admitted and she looked surprised and scared at the same time.  
"Honey, I love you so much!", she told him, "You're everything I wish for... and I´ve already told you I cannot imagine a life without you." Her eyes were filled with tears and Connor didn´t want that she was crying again. Of course he knew all that.  
"I don´t want you to think I would be unhappy with you... Because that's not true... I am very happy with you."  
"Then let me help you," worried he grabbed her hands.  
Finally, she smiled: "You're right. A little vacation can´t harm us."  
"All right," Connor rummaged for a list, "Where do you want go?"  
Lindsay knew the famous list. She remembered well the night when she had found the list in Connors wallet and what was written on it was so obvious. Actually, the list cheered her up. It contained all of her favorite places. After Connor's parents had told them they wanted, the two would officially get married again in church, they had thought about where this could be. Connor and Lindsay got married on a cruise ship and they never had problems with that. But his parents were very religious after all...  
She couldn´t believe he still had the list:

Perfect places for ( a wedding) relaxing:  
Hawaii  
An old castle in Scotland  
Greece  
Barbados  
Paris

The words "a wedding" he had written in brackets behind "relaxing".  
"Where do you want to go?", he repeated and she looked at the list. She thought for a while. "Hawaii. It´s very nice and our first child is born there... How did you get that idea?"  
"Through an old fairy tale book for children. In the book were drawings and the princess looked like you."  
"Fine," she smiled, "Can´t hardly wait to enjoy lying on the Hawaiian beach in my new Victoria's Secret Bikini... Does this mean we are celebrating your birthday in Hawaii?"  
"That would be a great idea," Connor admitted, "I've never celebrated my birthday like this... But because of the snow storm we can only leave in four weeks after Christmas", adding he didn´t mind, they decided to go to sleep. On the way to the stairs she heard a whimper. "Connor, you hear that?", asked Lindsay and remained in the dark hallway. Again she heard a whimper and Connor heard it, too, this time. He noted it came from the front door and he opened the door. There was a small dog with brown fur. Probably he was sitting there for a long time, he was already covered with snow.  
Connor didn´t hesitated a moment: He grabbed the little dog and took him on his arm. Then he closed the door behind him. "He would have frozen to death, if we hadn´t heard him," he said. They examined the dog and as it turned out, it had to be a very young animal. The dog wore a collar, but without dog tag.  
Tomorrow they would see the vet, perhaps the animal was chipped. Now Connor took him into the kitchen, gave him water, food and laid him into Lewis´ old dog basket.

When Mary and Erin woke up the next morning, it had snowed even more but at least now everything was quiet and Erin could ride home. They came into the kitchen for breakfast and first they saw a small brown dog in Lewis old dog basket. "This is the dog which has been at the accident location," Mary recognized him immediately, "And yesterday he was also at the lake."  
"The dog looks very small," noted Erin.  
"We´ll take him to the vet," said Connor, they ate breakfast and then Erin said goodbye. Connor and Mary took the dog to the vet.  
They were now the first patients and so they hadn´t to wait until the door to the treatment room opened and the doctor smiled at them. He was surprised, because he hadn´t seen the Doyle family for a long time. "Mr. Doyle, come in," said the vet and Connor, Mary and the little dog entered the treatment room. The vet seemed to be surprised by the visit. "I didn´t know you´re having a new dog," he said, and knelt in front of the brown dog.  
"He ran to us," Mary told, "He was sitting on our doorstep, yesterday."  
Connor said they were here for a check and maybe the dog was also chipped. "You found a very pretty dog," the vet said, "This is a pure-bred Welsh Terrier. They cost a lot of money."  
"Can you tell us how old he is?"  
The doctor took a probing look into the mouth of the animal.  
"He´s one year old," said the vet then he took his equipment and held it next to the dog's shoulder. "He has a chip," he said, "According to his Chip his name is McBeth and his owner is a certain Hillary Atkins, who lives in New York City. I thought immediately he is not from here. I don´ t know anyone in this area who breeds this race."  
"Dad, may we can find out her phone number and call her!", Mary suggested and Connor agreed it was a very good idea.

"I've already tried five times to reach McBeth´s owner", said Mary in the evening after she had tried all day to call the small dog´s owner. At least she knew now how to call the dog. But that didn´t comfort Mary. Maybe his owner wanted the dog back. In New York it was now 10 p.m. and she actually thought his owner would be at home at this daytime.  
Mary took the phone with her into her room. "Who are you calling?", asked Connor, when he noticed it.  
"Not anybody. I left our phone number on the answering machine and hope she calls back." That was true but Mary decided to try reaching Miss Atkins.  
Last night it had snowed again, the garden was full of it and the streets were impassable. So Mary hoped she wouldn´t have to go to school today. When Mary got up and came into the kitchen, McBeth was already outside to do his morning business. Lindsay and Christina, who was sitting on her mother´s arm, watched how McBeth dug through the snow and lifted in front of each tree in the garden of one of his hind legs.  
"Good morning, Mom," Mary sat down at the table and poured herself some milk, "I'm really tired."  
"I would be tired, too, if I would try to call people from the bathroom."  
"Mom, I'm trying to reach McBeth`s owner. She doesn´t answer the phone."  
"Maybe she´s out of town," suggested her Mom when she sat on her chair and began to feed Christina.  
"Out of town?", Mary was a bit confused. On the other hand, it made sense: How else should McBeth come into this snowy area?  
"Mom, Erin comes over later. OK?"  
"Yes, that's okay," Lindsay said and let McBeth in, who was already waiting outside the door and had shaken the snow from his curly brown fur. "Hey McBeth, you want a sausage?", said Lindsay while the dog was standing next to her and looked up to the fridge, begging.  
"He's cute," Mary noticed, "Maybe we should keep him."  
McBeth was the sweetest dog they ever had, but unfortunately he wasn´t their dog. He was only thier guest until his owner picked him up. "Unfortunately this is not possible," said Lindsay to her, while Mary ate her cereal. Then she got dressed, helped her dad with the horses and of course she also talked to him about McBeth. She explained that she wanted a dog for Christmas and a dog would also be useful for the family. Connor listened to her, sometimes he said "Oh" in some kind of agreement and took note of her preaching. Finally he said: "As soon as McBeth is back with his owner, we drive to the animal shelter and get a new dog."  
"Really? Thanks, Dad", she hugged him briefly, then Mary took her horse out of the stable to saddle it. Then she took McBeth from the house and together they waited for Erin.

"Oh God, it's still snowing," in the afternoon Mary and Erin were sitting in the living room and watched as it continued snowing outside. They drank hot chocolate, sat on the couch and McBeth had settled between them. "He's a very nice dog," said Erin and stroked McBeth´s head. Mary had already noticed McBeth was apparently very happy here.  
"Shall we try again to reach his owner?", asked Mary.  
"No," replied Erin, "Actually not. But we have to."  
Mary reached for the phone, dialed the number again and they heard the announcement on the answering machine. "Mary," Erin said, suddenly terrified, "That was my Mom´s voice." She hadn´t seen her for a long time, but she never forgot her voice.  
"But you and your dad´s name is Green!"  
"Atkins was my mother´s maiden name. She is probably here." Suddenly, Erin was very excited. She decided she had to go outside to pick up her horse and then ride home.  
Lindsay noticed a little worried, when Erin past her. "What's the matter with her?", Lindsay asked, confused. She held Leah in her arms and wanted to change her baby´s diapers in the bathroom.  
"We have found McBeth´s owner," said Mary and her Mom seemed to wait for a further statement, "It is her mother and she is here..."

Meanwhile Peter wanted to show Connor the inner life of his caravan. Connor coughed when Peter opened the door to his caravan. Peter knew Connors Opinion: This trailer was not worth money and had when he been in his situation, he would have returned the caravan immediately.  
"I know it smells very bad in here…," Peter began. One more reason, why Connor couldn´t understand why Peter didn´t want to sleep on the couch.  
"...But I think if I clean up from inside and outside, it will look much better. Unfortunately I had no chance until now..."  
They now watched, how Mary's friend ran out of the house, entered the stable and shortly thereafter she came out with her own horse.  
"On occasion, you need to repair the heater in here", suggested Connor. In the trailer it was freezing cold. On the way to the house Connor got the mail from the mailbox, but ignored the content. Inside the house, Mary told her Mom that Erin's Mom left many years ago. When Connor asked what they were talking about Mary reported McBeth 'owner was Erin's Mom. "I guess Erin's Mom would like to have her dog back again."  
Mary looked at McBeth sadly. The little dog was standing in the door all the time and looked at her in enthusiasm when she spoke.

In the evening, Mary's mood was at rock bottom. She liked McBeth very much and hated the thought of having to say goodbye to him, even now. She sat sadly on the couch when her parents sat down next to her.  
"You´re sad because we have found McBeth`s owner, right?", asked her dad and Mary nodded. Since she knew who was McBeth's owner and that she was probably in the area, Mary had called all motels, she could find in the phone book and had asked about Hillary Atkins, but no one knew her.  
Connor didn´t understand why Mary was sad. Finally, he had promised they would get a new dog from an animal shelter. He realized, Mary wanted to keep McBeth. He was admittedly a very friendly, loyal dog. He seemed to love children: After lunch they where outside with the kids, McBeth never left Christina´s side. He even growled at Peter, when he wanted to take Christina on his arm.  
"McBeth isn´t our dog, unfortunately", Lindsay said gently, "but you were also sad when one of our horses would run away and another family wants to keep it then."  
"Yes," murmured Mary.  
"I know you like McBeth very much", began her Dad, "When we return from Hawaii, we visit the animal shelter and there you can choose a dog."  
"Why do we go to Hawaii?", asked Mary and her parents explained they wanted to go on holiday. Wouldn´t it be enough if they had driven to the four- hours- away ski resort in Aspen? What about Nancy and Big Red?  
"Don´t worry. Peter looks after the horses, while we are in Hawaii. It is hopefully not too much, if he feeds them twice a day and brings them to their pasture", said Connor. Mary was surprised Peter wanted to stay here.  
"Try to be thrilled a little bit for Hawaii," suggested her dad, "We will miss McBeth, too. But we can´t keep him."

In the night Lindsay heard how one of her children cried and before she could get up, Connor gave her a kiss on her cheek and told his wife to stay in bed. He would take care of it. So he went to Leah's room, took her out of her bed and together they went downstairs into the kitchen. When they were in the kitchen, his little daughter had already calmed down a bit but she was hungry, she could not stop sobbing. Leah was an incredibly sweet little girl and he could not stop looking at her. Although Leah was already his and Lindsay's second baby, he sometimes couldn´t believe they both were able to accomplish such a pretty child. "Do you like mint tea?", Connor wanted to know from Leah and she sobbed a bit louder, "Well, I don´t like it, too."  
He was looking for a milk bottle in the fridge, warmed it in the microwave and during feeding his daughter, he petted carefully through her dark silky hair. When Leah had emptied the bottle, he placed it in the sink.  
Now Leah had to burp, before they could go back to sleep. With the baby on his arm Connor walked through the living room. He gently patted her back and heard Leah breathe. When he then turned around once and wanted to go to the door with the baby he saw a woman with long dark hair standing in the garden. He could see her face, but her clothes were wet and at first his heart stopped a beat, because he hadn´t expected that a stranger was watching him. He put Leah into the cradle, which was in his living room because he didn´t want to take the baby outside.  
When Connor reached the door to the garden, however, the strange woman was gone. He recalled her clothing was wet, but on the terrace there was not a water spot. There were no footprints.

"It was scary," Connor said next morning after breakfast to his wife. He didn´t talked to Mary about what had happened yesterday.  
While Connor reported about the mysterious scene that had happened the previous night, Lindsay prepared a bottle of milk for Leah.  
"You don´t believe me, I'm right?", he asked and she hugged him.  
"Of course I believe you," she said, looking at him.  
"What's wrong with you?", he asked, "You are now so affectionate."  
"Nothing's wrong, what should be?", she smiled at him sweetly, "What do you think, if we take a walk after lunch, just you and me?"  
He liked the idea, but because they had now two horses, he suggested they could ride up to the mountain.  
Lindsay decided to clean up a bit and then they wanted to start their little trip. Because Mary was working on her school project, she wouldn´t need her horse and she also had time to take care of her sisters.  
First, she cleaned up some letters, which still lay on the kitchen table. She wondered about the postcard that came from Cape Cod. Lindsay had to look almost twice when she read the sender. Why did she discover the postcard from Claire just today?  
Claire wrote she was fine. She visited some friends who lived in Massachusetts. She also needed some time to think about several things, she was sorry she had run away without saying a word, she was planning to come back to Colorado and that was... Today!  
"Honey, I go out and get the horses ready for us," Connor said to her and before she could tell him that Claire would return today, he had closed the door behind him. She thought feverishly, how to get Peter as fast as possible out of the house. So she gave Mary notice that she and Connor took a ride on their horses. Into the kitchen she reached for a piece of paper hanging on the fridge and knocked on the door of the caravan. Lindsay had to wait. Then she knocked again until finally the door to the caravan opened.  
"Can you buy some Items for me?", she asked, handing him a note. She didn´t even let him answer. While she went to the barn, she called him a "See you". Obviously in time: When Peter was for five minutes on the road, a car reached the house and Claire got out.  
"Did you know she returns today?", asked Connor, holding Big Red's reins. Lindsay nodded and told him she knew it through a postcard which had been found today.  
Lindsay hugged Claire very relieved. "How are the children?", asked Claire and Lindsay was very surprised by this question. "They´re fine," said Lindsay.  
"Do you want to take a ride?" Claire noticed that one of the horses pawed impatiently with his hoof.  
"That's okay!" Claire smiled, "I'll just go inside and look after the children. Have fun!" Claire turned around and discovered an old trailer in front of the house. She asked whose trailer was this and Lindsay decided it was better to tell her the truth: "This is Peter's caravan. He's here."  
Claire seemed think a while what to do. Finally she said: "Don´t worry. I can handle it."

Mary was surprised a little bit when Claire walked into her room with Leah and Christina. Mary was working on her school project, but it didn´t bother her. She was happy to see Claire again and asked her how she was. "You are hiding from Peter. Am I right?", asked Mary and Claire tried not to nod.  
"Do you mind if we stay here for a while?", asked Claire. A little later with Leah on her arm she watched, like Christina was sitting on Mary's bed and played with her dolls. McBeth was also here.  
Then the front door opened. "I'm back," she heard Peter calling, "Mary, you're in your room?"  
"Yes, I´m doing homework! Put the Items on the kitchen table."  
"What should I do with the frozen vegetables?"  
"Wait, I'm coming down!", While Mary went downstairs, Claire entered with Leah Mary's bathroom. She sat on the closed toilet lid and waited. But waiting for what? She hoped Peter wouldn´t find her here and that Lindsay and Connor would come back soon.

"Can you imagine: Me as a dentist?", asked Connor, while he and Lindsay were riding their horses side by side along a forest trail.  
"No," she replied briefly and smiled at him, "If you would you have taken your father's dental practice, we never met."  
Connor didn´t know why he had asked her if she could imagine him as a dentist. But it was very nice they could talk with each other in a relaxed environment.  
"Let´s ride along the river," suggested Lindsay and led her horse along the shore of Mystery Creek. She kept an eye on the gravel and discovered a cell phone lying on the ground. The phone was scratched and looked very battered. "There is a phone," she noted, stopped the horse, dismounted and picked up the phone. "Don´t let the horse drink water," Connor said to her, "Otherwise she´ll get some colic."  
Lindsay grabbed her horses´ reins. She could not determine who owned the phone, so she put it in her pocket. At that moment Connors phone rang and he answered. It was Mary who called him and it sounded, as if it was an emergency. She said she didn´t know how long Claire was able to hide from Peter. "We should ride back," he suggested to his wife, "It sounds as if they had a big problem at home."

When Connor and Lindsay arrived at home, they heard the loud fight already at the stables. They freed the horses from their saddles and bridles then they released them into the stable. Together they went back into the house and because Leah was crying upstairs in her crib and Mary wasn´t able to calm her, Lindsay went immediately to her daughter. Meanwhile, Claire and Peter were fighting more loudly in the kitchen. "Why haven´t you called?" grumbled Peter.  
"Why should I call?" Claire shouted back, "That chances nothing!"  
"It was about MY child!", Peter sounded very angry, "MY child is dead! Have you ever asked only ONE TIME, how I´M handling this whole thing!"  
"You never took care of the baby!"  
"Because you just told me about it when it was already dead!" Peter angrily swept a Christmas decoration from the kitchen table and Connor heard Christina crying louder. He had had enough, walked between the two and announced it was enough now.  
"Get out!", now Connor was louder, "No matter what you want to discuss, do it outside and don´t dare to come back until you haven´t talked with each other!" With these words, he pushed them out and closed the door angrily. He took a deep breath, calmed down and went up the stairs. Mary had now closed the door to her room and he still heard Christina and Leah crying. Connor went to the end of the hallway, there was the master bedroom. He saw that Christina was sitting beside the bed, on her cheeks were still tears. "Mommy," she said, pointing to her mother. The feet of his wife stuck out of the closet. As he noted, she shut herself away in here. Connor came one step closer. With Leah in her arms Lindsay was sitting on the floor of the closet and held the sobbing baby in her arms. Lindsay looked up at him while he sat down beside her. He put an arm protectively around her shoulders and she leaned against him. Lindsay also had been crying.  
"You throw them out?", she wanted to know and he nodded, "Good job." She couldn´t wait until they left for Hawaii. Then they were far away from all the hassle. "Honey, why can´t we fly right now to Hawaii?"  
He knew she would prefer to pack her bags immediately. His wife calmed down and snuggled into his arms. "Why they have to fight so terribly?", she asked. It was a shame that Claire was still allergic to Peter. He had really tried to talk to her.  
"I told them they shouldn´t join us until they talked seriously to each other."  
"I hope they understand the broad hint...", she murmured.  
"Who knows," Connor said, smiling at her, "Maybe it´s not enough to give them a broat hint. Maybe I need to punch them."  
She smiled when she heard that and it was a pleasant feeling to see her smile. "Come here," Lindsay muttered and gave Connor a kiss, "I love you."  
It felt good to kiss her. It was even better to hear that she loved him. And it was meant very honestly.

Connor made her Hawaiian Toast for lunch on this afternoon and her mood improved. He tried to cheer her up and this was so sweet.  
It was a beautiful day: After lunch, they spent their time together and took McBeth for a walk. When the children had gone to bed, Connor took Lindsay's hand and left the house with her. They noted in Peter's caravan the light was on. But they didn´t took care: They also had no idea if Claire was back in her motel. After all, they wanted to ignore Peter and Claire as long as they haven´t talked about their baby. Claire should know that Peter had been looking forward to the baby and Peter should know how bad it was for Claire.  
The stars twinkled in the sky, while Connor opened the gate to the barn and went inside. They went up the narrow stairs to the loft and sat together in front of the window. From here they had a perfect view to the sky.  
Lindsay put her hands into the pockets of their thick coat and in that moment, she reached for the phone which she had found in the woods. She got it from her pocket and looked at it. "Who owns it?", asked Connor.  
"I don´t know. I found it next to Mystery Creek today." She started the phone and searched the phone book. She didn´t find any known name. And the numbers had a New York area code. Lindsay reminded of what Mary had told her: Erin's Mom was apparently in the area, but she could not find her anywhere. No one had heard about her. But how should the cell phone come into the Mystery Creek? Lindsay was hoping it wasn´t the phone from Erin's Mom. She decided to call the phone company tomorrow. Perhaps they could tell her, who was the owner of the phone. But this evening, she wanted to spend with Connor...

Unfortunately, next day they learned the phone belonged to Hillary Atkins and this troubled Lindsay and Mary: First there was McBeth, he was clearly Hillary's dog. Then she found her phone in a river. They told Connor about their suspicion maybe something had happened to McBeth´s owner and using the pretext Peter had bought the wrong diapers for Leah yesterday, they would drive to the police. Moreover, they also had to buy Christmas presents.  
They didn´t tell Peter and Claire about driving to town. So they drove to Mystery in the afternoon. First, they bought new diapers for Leah then Connor parked the car opposite the small police station in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. McBeth hopped happily out of the van´s trunk and waved excitedly with his tail. Immediately, he explored the area and Mary called him, so she could take him on a leash. She got up and looked at the other side of the street. In front of the police station a woman was standing with soaking wet clothes. Her dark hair covered her face.  
"Do you have the phone with you?", Mary heard her father asking in the background. Lindsay nodded.  
Then her father came to her and asked why she stared at the other side of the street. He also looked to the police station. There she was: the woman who had recently observed him in the living room at night.  
"There she is again," murmured Mary.  
"Who's there?", asked Lindsay. With Leah in her arms she came to them. She also looked to the parking lot, but she saw no one. "So I cannot see anyone... Come on, Christina. Give me your hand", she stretched out her hand to her daughter and together they crossed the street.  
They were lucky they didn´t need wait long at the operations center: An officer had time for them. He listened to Lindsay, who told him she had found the phone yesterday at Mystery Creek: "The phone company says the phone is owned by a woman named Hillary Atkins."  
"Hillary Atkins?" First, he had not taken Lindsay's story seriously. He thought she wanted to bring this phone because she had found it. But when he heard the name of the owner, he knew the matter was serious. The officer swallowed: "Her car was saved a few days ago from Mystery Creek. On the road to Mystery Mountain she lost control about her car."  
Connor recalled that Hugh Carmichael had told him about an accident.  
"Is she in the hospital? Do you know in which motel she lives?", asked Mary. She could not wait to tell Erin she had might found her mother.  
"No, I'm sorry. She hadn´t survived the accident... You know her?"  
"I know her daughter, Erin. She´s my best friend." Mary sounded very concerned. Then she had to tell Erin´s address to the police. The officer also asked her to tell Erin and her Dad nothing about the accident and after the Doyle family had filled out some forms they were sent home.

Claire was very surprised why Connor's car wasn´t here. Lindsay would have told her, if they had traveled to town. Claire would be able to meet Lindsay and talk with her in a quiet environment. She needed someone with whom she could talk about her grief and she had the impression Lindsay would understand it very well. She was a mother of three children...  
Claire parked her car in front of the Doyle family´s house when Peter came out of his trailer. "They are not at home. They left a little over an hour. I don´t know where they are", he told her.  
"I´ve already noticed," she sounded at once very angry and Peter immediately knew why. Why she said this to him? He could not help that the baby was dead!  
"Damn! I'm so tired of you going out of my way! You know, it's my baby, too, which died. But what would you do if it was still alive? Have you already chosen a name?"  
He had touched her sore spot. Peter should not even dare to think that...!  
"I also wonder how it would be. In some months we could have had a sweet daughter or a son."  
When he said this, Claire began to cry. Peter came to her and hugged her. "You have no idea how terrible it is for me," she sobbed and returned the embrace, "I would certainly be a terrible mother. It was my fault that the baby died..."  
"No, that's not true. It's not your fault." He held her for a long in his arms and for the first time they talked about what was on their minds.

Mary now felt even worse when she came home and wondered how Erin felt. She wanted to call her and talk to her but the officer told her he would do that. Mary waited all afternoon for a call from her best friend. Finally, there was a knock at the door. With Leah in her arm Lindsay opened the door.  
"Mary, Erin is here!" Lindsay called for her daughter and followed by McBeth Mary came down the stairs. Erin looked terribly sad. They sat together on the couch and while Lindsay gave them something to drink, Erin told that she and her dad were called after lunch to the local police station. A very friendly officer told her, her mother had a serious accident a few days ago on the road to Mystery Mountain. The car went off the road, crashed through the railing and plunged into the icy Mystery Creek. There, her mother drowned. Apparently she had tried to escape from the car because the police told them the windows were lowered on both sides.  
Mary suspected that McBeth had escaped like this.  
Then Erin told, her father had to identify her mother on photos. She had not seen the photos, but her father told her everything exactly when she asked how her mother looked like, finally she hadn´t seen her for a long time.  
Erin took a photo out of her pocket and showed it to Mary. "That's your Mom?" asked Mary. The person on the photo looked like the woman who had appeared on the street and suddenly disappeared. Only the person at the photo looked a little better.  
"Mom looked like this eight years ago... The police officer said they found crack in her blood. She must have been addicted to drugs."  
"You know what she was doing here?" Mary suggested Hillary Atkins wanted to see her daughter. Why else would she come to Mystery?  
Erin, however, shook her head sadly at the question. Unfortunately, she didn´t know.  
Lindsay listened to the conversation of the girls. After they had reported to the police that Miss Atkins´ dog was with them, the officer had to call the woman´s boyfriend. And they received a call on the same day he would pick up the dog in two days.

Two days later there was a knock at the door. Mary was doing homework in her room, McBeth was lying on the bed and slept. Connor answered the door and a man greeted him.  
"Mike Taylor, Hi. I'm here to pick up the dog", Mary heard his voice clearly. She hated that she had to give up McBeth now. She took the dog on his collar and went with him to the door. "Here he is," she handed the leash to the man, "What will happen to him?"  
"I don´t know yet," Mr. Taylor had no plans to keep the dog. Finally he had enough to do. He probably took him to some animal shelter or euthanized him. He didn´t want to keep the dog. Mr. Taylor hadn´t even thanked them for caring for the dog. Finally it was Hillary's dog and he always hated him.  
Mary watched how Mr. Taylor put the dog roughly on the passenger side and then just drove off in his Porsche.  
While he drove, he lit a hand-rolled joint of cocaine and for a moment he thought back to how Hillary and he had smoked this stuff sometimes for nights. Sometimes there were days when Hillary would have done everything, so he gave her the _good stuff_...  
Fortunately, he was alone on the street and was free to focus on his joint, he thought to himself. Suddenly the dog barked. The black Porsche came to skid on the wet street and Mr. Taylor slowed down before a curve.  
"Shut up McBeth!", Mark pushed McBeth roughly against the passenger door and he yelped. Then Mike looked back on the road and right before his car was a woman who looked like his girlfriend Hillary. Her clothes were wet and her hair hung in strands in her face. Panic, he jerked the cars steering wheel and raced through the wooden railing which separated the road from the free-fall into the deep.

An hour later it was dinnertime and when the entire family had gathered at the table (Lindsay and Connor were pleased to note Claire and Peter had ended their dispute and were talking to each other again), there was a knock at the door. Connor decided to answer the door.  
Mary hoped it was Mr. Taylor, who had changed his mind and brought McBeth back. She missed the little dog now. Her Dad had shown her a newspaper article: in the animal shelter three greyhound puppies where waiting for a new home. Judy, Jodi and June. But she wanted no new dog.  
Instead of Mr. Taylor their visit was Hugh Carmichael. "On the road to the mountain there was an accident," he said, "And I came because your dog is involved." In the recent days he had seen Mary several times with a little, brown dog.  
Connor didn´t notice Mary had got up from the table and came to the door. She heard what Hugh said. "What about McBeth?," Mary asked in panic.  
"I'm sorry," Hugh looked at Mary apologetically, "He was sitting unsecured on the passenger seat and broke his neck. He is dead."  
Tears welled up in Mary's eyes. Suddenly she realized she would never see McBeth again. Weeping, she ran into her room and Hugh asked Connor, if he wanted to bury McBeth here. The truth was at that moment he didn´t know what to say. He thanked Hugh for the information and then sat back on the table. Lindsay, who fed Christina, noticed first his strange face. "What happened?", she asked, "Where's Mary?"  
They all liked the little dog very much and Connor didn´t know how to tell them the bad news. "There was a serious accident on the road to the mountain," he told them, "It was Mr. Taylor from New York. McBeth didn´t make it."

Fin?


	5. Mystery Beach

Title: Mystery Beach  
Author: DancingStar  
Pairing: Connor / Lindsay, Peter / Claire  
Rating: 12  
Summaries: The Doyle family spends their vacation on Hawaii. But they imagined very differently...  
Comments: I was working hard on my this year´s carnival costume: This year I'm a peacock... with real feathers! Alternatively, I could go as Lady Gaga, my icon! As you may know, in Germany we have for the silly season a specialty that is called "Krapfen" (who doesn´t know what that is, it's worth googling), it´s almost like a donut. Actually, I don´t like these things very much, but this year I could not ignore them.

**Mystery Beach**

The island chain of Hawaii was a very exotic destination for her family and Lindsay enjoyed the time in the small resort in a pretty pristine beach. The trip was the perfect Christmas gift, even if the holiday was financed with money which was meant for another purpose.  
Connor chose the resort for them. It was very nice, owned by a couple that had moved to Hawaii years ago and consisted of small huts in, which the guests lived, near the turquoise blue sea. The resort would be perfect as a film screen and the environment reminded her very much of "their island", Mystery Island, which was located somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. A shell, at home on the dresser, was a memory of this place. This shell and a purple what which grew on the island, were found by Connor and he gave her this on a day, from which they were sure with their self-created calendar, it was Lindsay's birthday.  
They had arrived yesterday with their family. On arrival day they booked a city tour in Honolulu on the island of O'ahu. When Christina was born here a little more than one year ago, they hadn´t seen much of the city, except for the hospital. (Actually, Connor wanted to see the port of Pearl Harbor, but they reserved that trip when they became bored on their little island.) After the city tour they were taken to the island by boat. Each of them also received a wreath of flowers, called Maile Lei.  
Today was already their second day and when Lindsay woke up she was in Connor's arms and felt his breath in her neck. She thought about last night and had to smile: After the kids were gone to bed, Connor and Lindsay took a walk along the beach. The sun was setting and dipped water and sand in red shimmering light. "Why are we here?" Lindsay asked suddenly, as she reached for her husband's hand, smiling at him, "You hate beach holidays."  
He then asked how she came up with this idea and she told him he never had booked beach holidays before. She also told him she believed, he didn´t like parties but last Halloween proved that black was white. So far he hadn´t set value on parties, that was true, but now there were other priorities...  
"Because you've earned this trip... and because we have three children and two of them already need a bit more entertainment", he said. Mary wouldn´t certainly have the mood to spend the holiday at home. Moreover, it was cold and snowy at home in Colorado and Connor believed he and Lindsay had deserved to wallow in spring fever with the help of the Hawaiian sun.  
"Oh, so we are only here because of me?", asked Lindsay a little offended and they stopped. Her black, printed summer dress was fluttering in the gentle night wind.  
"Of course and because I love no one as much as you."  
This confession caused tears into her eyes and she had to hug him. No one before told her such a beautiful thing. She kissed him and before their kiss became more intimate Connor suggested returning into the little hut where they lived during their stay. "Can you still remember our first kiss?"  
This question surprised him a little, and he knew why she wanted to know.  
"Of course I remember", he replied, "I was on beach and you kissed me after our boat has been destroyed by the shark ", he told her.  
"What did you think at this moment?"  
"I thought nothing. I was too busy with you..." He remembered as if it was yesterday, when she wrapped her arms around him and started kissing him, wearing nothing more than a tight black bikini, in ankle-high water. This kiss changed everything dramatically. Connor could never forget. Not even when they loved each other for the first time and afterwards she whispered in his ear with a trembling voice that no one before had done such unbelievable things with her like he did. It has never been so great and was never so hard to describe how it felt when her world collapsed at the end of excitement.  
Connor suggested returning to the cottage before the past would be repeated and he really lost control because of her intensive kiss.  
In their hut both of them had better ideas than going to sleep. Connor seduced her with sweet, deep kisses, cuddles and all the other caresses she had been missing for so long. He carefully drew a line with his hand on her shoulder, her collarbone to the glittering heart-shaped pendant hanging on a silver necklace around her neck. Never before a woman who was wearing only a necklace, was as exciting as now. The necklace was a Christmas present one week ego, even though she had told him the trip was exciting enough. But Connor thought he would be a very bad husband if he gave her only the trip.  
Lindsay only needed to imagine how they kissed deeply and how his hands wandered over her body and she had to hold breath. He still got her mixed up. She was still in love with him, in the same way she was in love with him under the waterfall on Mystery Island, or in their hot spring. It was almost more beautiful to know that he still desired her.  
Lindsay felt how Connor next to her was breathing louder and suddenly he kissed her neck and wished her good morning. Together they stayed in bed for a while, snuggled and enjoyed the warm sun rays which announced a nice day. When they heard how Leah in the adjoining hut began to cry, Lindsay announced with a smile she now had to get up yet.

"What do we want to do today?", asked Mary during breakfast. She had read there should be a volcano on the island and she hoped it would not break when they were here. "In the guidebook is written, there is a place on the other side of the island where you can watch how trained monkeys harvest coconuts," said Connor and to Mary it was immediately clear that her dad wanted to see this. Mary had handled the death of McBeth more or less: She was still sad about it and she wasn´t ready to get a new puppy from the animal shelter. Mary told her parents stubborn, she never wanted to have another dog when her dad proposed on Christmas morning to drive to the animal shelter.  
A waiter brought them a new coffee to the table and he had heard their conversation. "The resort also rents cars, you won´t need a taxi to go there."  
Connor couldn´t imagine there was a taxi company on the island, but then he remembered on the other side of the little island was a small town.  
"All right, then we see the monkeys today", said Connor, after no one answered back.  
After they had breakfast, Lindsay went with Christina and Leah to their hut again because Christina ruined her dress during eating jam and she wanted to apply sun lotion at the kids. Mary and her dad were waiting at the entrance.  
"Aloha," said an old man to them, wearing a colorful shirt and who came behind the reception desk. He searched for some papers, when Connor said he'd like to rent a car for today.  
"You´re going to drive car number five… Can I take a copy of your driver's license?", asked the man and Connor gave him the plastic card. Then Connor still had to wait a few minutes and he sat back to Mary, who sat in a big chair.  
The man at the front desk had just put the license in the copier when a couple walked into the resort´s lobby. Impatiently, the man pressed the small bell on the counter. "Sorry, we have booked two rooms. My name is Peter Axon."

"Peter? Claire?" Lindsay was very surprised when she walked into the lobby of the resort with Leah in her arms and she saw her best friends in holiday clothes also standing at the reception. As it turned out, Peter had booked a Last Minute Holiday for himself and Claire and he didn´t know that Connor and Lindsay were staying in the same resort. It was a great coincidence that they all shared their holiday in the same state of the U.S., on the same island, in the same resort. Of all the islands, which were located in the Polynesian triangle between New Zealand, Easter Island and Hawaii, he had just chosen THIS for holiday!  
"Who takes care about the horses at home?", asked Mary a little bit worried.  
"Hugh Carmichael promised to keep an eye on them... I said before I ever wanted to travel through the country in my trailer."  
Connor wanted to ask him if the caravan was about to fly in to Hawaii, but Peter told him that Hawaii was a place he ever wished to see. Therefore, and because he and Claire had gone through difficult times he invited her to this holiday.  
While Peter and Claire checked in, Connor got his driver´s license back. Peter then asked him what they wanted to do today and Peter joined them. So they drove together to the place where the monkeys harvested coconuts and watched the animals for a while at work. Then they started to the summit of an extinct volcano and Mary took some photos. Finally, it was evening and they met again at a restaurant near their resort. Because Connor had heard getting a table here was very difficult he reserved one previously.  
"Hi. Connor Doyle and family. We have engaged one table", he told a waiter who was standing at the entrance, "Can we maybe get a bigger table?"  
After they were now brought to the table and while they were waiting for their dinner, they talked. Finally, Connor asked a very unpleasant question: "Peter, you are now almost for 4 weeks with us in Colorado. Is there anything we should know?"  
"No, it's all right. The personnel department has only encouraged me to use my remaining vacation days." And Peter hadn´t been on vacation for a long time. His holiday would last until end of January. Claire had to return earlier. Her doctor thought she was healthy, although she lost a baby six weeks ago.  
"Connor, what about you?", Peter asked suddenly, "Did you ever thought about returning to the OSIR?"  
"Not a second," answered Connor. He was not in the mood for moving back to the city and being apart from his wife and children. In addition, Elsinger had insinuated to them very clearly he and Lindsay wouldn´t be hired again.  
"And you, Lindsay?"  
"No, I enjoy taking care of my children and I am already busy as a full-time mom." Lindsay was laughing and a waiter brought them their dinner.  
"It can´t be very difficult to take care about two small children," said Claire and Lindsay suddenly stopped. She really said that? Inwardly thanked Lindsay for the compliment, they ate and late in the evening everyone went to the resort and there they got back to their huts.  
Lindsay sat down for a while in front of the window, which showed the ocean and she looked out to the sea. In the darkness the water looked almost black, the sky lit up but in cold blue tones. For the first time, she noted an island on the horizon and she wondered what kind of island it was. If she wasn´t mistaken, there were no islands in this direction, which belonged to Hawaii.  
When Connor came out of the small hut´s bathroom, he noticed how she watched the island. "This is Skull Island", he explained, "Local people tell that Edgar Wallace, a cooperative author of King Kong, was so fascinated by the island that he had incorporated it into the film. Another native wrote a novel about the island many years ago. Everybody who entered Skull Island could never leave again."  
"Why not?", Lindsay turned half to him, but he was already standing behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pressed her to him.  
"In the novel all the people who have entered the island, were attacked by the army of the restless souls."  
"The story is true?"  
"I don´t know and I don´t wanna know, although some locals believe in it." Perhaps the story was true, he thought. After all, there was not a single boat company, which traveled to the island.  
Lindsay was very happy with this explanation. They went to sleep and so they didn´t hear how mysterious chants rose on Skull Island late at night.

The next morning at breakfast, Mary asked again how they would spend the day. Today was also good weather and a blue parrot sat on the railing of the terrace and watched them skeptically.  
"Should we go to beach?", asked Connor and Lindsay agreed it was a very good idea. Then Mary said she wanted to go hiking today, grabbed a banana and left the table. Connor watched her, shaking his head. Since McBeth's death she sometimes behaved impossible. If she would at least talk her parents about it...!  
"That's fine," Lindsay said to him, placed lovingly a hand on his forearm and then they saw how Peter and Claire entered the entrance area of the resort. Lindsay suddenly had an idea: Mary would travel with a touring group today and Claire could take care for Christina and Leah. Claire had also put this silly rumor in the world, to care for two children would be easy...  
"Excuse me for a moment," she said to her husband, took Christina on her arm and pushed the stroller to Claire and Peter, who asked at the resort front desk about the rental cost for two Jet Skis.  
"It's very nice that I meet you here," said Lindsay, "Could you please have an eye on Christina and Leah until tonight? Connor and I wanted to travel again to the volcano and as you may have noticed last time, it is very difficult with young children."  
She didn´t even wait for Peters answer, gave Christina directly in his arm. Claire should push the stroller. "But we wanted to ...", in fact, Claire and Peter had planned to ride Jet Skis, "What shall we do with two children?"  
"No idea. Teach Christina Hula dancing", suggested Lindsay, "Christina and Leah are very dear kids. See you soon!", Lindsay waved goodbye and Christina began to cry when she saw her Mommy went away. It tore Lindsay's heart apart when she heard her daughter crying like this. But it was only for Claire's best: At least she should realize taking care about two small children was not always easy.  
When Christina calmed down a little, Peter asked what they should do now. He read in a guide that there was an aquarium on the other side of the island where native fish species would be shown. Near there, was also a zoo. Claire liked the idea of visiting the zoo and they drove off with a rental car. The zoo on the other side of the island was not very large, there only lived some native lizards and parrots. Christina was able to pet some okapi, which the zoo had recently received. After an hour they already left the zoo. They gave Christina a giant plush monkey as a souvenir, stuffed it under the stroller, so Christina hadn´t to carry the stuffed animal then they walked through a small town.  
Christina suddenly began to cry and she wanted to calm any more.  
"What´s wrong with her? Why is she crying?", Peter sounded perplexed. What if Christina had to sit on the potty? Was Christina already able to do that?  
"Maybe she is hungry. Let's go and eat something", suggested Claire and fortunately they found an Italian restaurant. They didn´t know what Christina was able to eat and therefore they ordered her a plate full of spaghetti. Christina sat on Peter's lap, who cut the noodles smaller for her and fed her then. Claire was impressed: Apparently, Peter had learned a lot from Connor, because she couldn´t imagine he couldn´t handle kids. She had always believed he had to adjust in father role if their baby would have survived... Her baby, she had to think about it again...  
"Christina, here are more noodles," said Peter to the child, when she wanted to grasp with her hands in the plate and Christina opened her mouth.  
"You're really great, Uncle Pete," said Claire, smiling.  
"Thank you ... What about Leah? She hadn´t cried until now." It was true. Leah was a good baby. She hadn´t cried one time.  
"She is still asleep," said Claire, "It's normal for an eight-week-old infant." They thought about things they could do with the children for the rest of the day. But Claire remembered a thousand things which they couldn´t do: It was impossible to drive some Jet Ski. Generally, it was not a good idea to go near the water with the lively Christina if they didn´t know how to tame her. Connor and Lindsay would kill them if something happened to their daughter.  
A waitress came to their table, Peter paid for the lunch and the young woman told them they had two incredibly cute kids. Peter immediately saw a dark shadow on Claire's face. He expressed his thanks for the compliment and outside the restaurant, he excused for the waitress. "That's fine, Peter," once again Claire sounded so serious, "Let's just walk for a while... And maybe we should at least see the fishes in the aquarium." The main thing was she wouldn´t be remembered how much she missed to have a baby.

"Daddy!", Christina cried excited in the evening when Connor and Lindsay were already waiting for her at the resort. Connor took the little dark-haired girl on his arms and she hugged him. Then she proudly showed her Dad the plush monkey she had received. Next, Christina hugged her Mommy.  
"How was it?", Lindsay wanted to know when she looked at Leah in the stroller.  
"I take back everything," said Claire stressed to Lindsay, "It isn´t easy to take care for two small kids in the same time." She told Leah had started crying from some unknown reason in the middle of the city. When Claire then found out Leah needed a new diaper and she couldn´t find a place where she could change the baby´s diaper. In addition, she had no idea how this worked. Finally, she and Peter joined forces and managed it to change the diapers in the toilet of a department store. Meanwhile, Christina ran away and in panic they searched everywhere. Claire's worst nightmare was the idea of how the Department Store management made an announcement that a one-year old, blue-eyed girl wearing a pink Hello Kitty dress and with two pigtails wanted to be picked up by her parents at the administrative office.  
Finally, they found Christina in front of a shelf, filled with dolls, in the toy department. Because they wanted to leave, Christina began to cry. Leah in the stroller heard it and was crying, too. Because Peter mistakenly thought Leah was hungry, he fed her. When he took her on his arm so Leah could burp the baby puked directly on Peter's shoulder.  
Connor laughed when he heard that and Peter asked him if this ever happened to him. The day had started well, but it ended in disaster. Not only Claire was happy that she could hand Christina and Leah to Connor and Lindsay again.  
"How was the volcano?", asked Peter and Connor was a bit confused. Then it occurred to him Lindsay had told them they wanted to see the extinct volcano on the island again. But that was not true: Instead, they spent the whole day on beach, laying in the warm sun and drinking cocktails. (Connor had complained that Lindsay wanted to snuggle even at 35 degree Celsius in the shade, but he meant ironically. At some point they had to hold back, otherwise they would have been arrested for indecent behavior.)  
"It was very nice" said Connor, "We had a great view." He noticed how Lindsay questioned her daughter lots of things: She asked, if she had a nice day, what had they done and if Peter and Claire had cared well for her. Christina replied all questions with a loud, cheerful "Yeah". This relieved Peter's conscience. Nevertheless, he was glad when they said goodnight for today.

"Lindsay."  
A faint whisper woke Lindsay from her sleep. She made sure it was not Connor, who woke her up, but he was asleep. "Lindsay."  
That was the whisper again. Slowly, she pushed the blanket aside and went barefoot to the window which viewed the ocean. Again she saw the small island in the distance. Was she mistaken, or was a little green light on the island?  
The palm trees which stood next to the hut bent mysteriously in the cool wind and Lindsay was shocked when suddenly two arms wrapped around her and Connor kissed her temple.  
"What are you worried about?", he asked.  
"I can´t sleep," she admitted, "I don´t know, something is wrong."  
"Where?"  
"On this little island." She still looked like spellbound to the island. The little green light disappeared.  
"You read the book?", asked Connor. He discovered nothing remarkable. He explained, he found a signed copy of "Skull Island- The Island of Death" in the entrance area of the resort and read a few pages. Connor told, in the story a couple came to the island because one of their children was missing. The child couldn´t be found on Peacock Island, a fictitious island in the novel, so the parents believed their son was staying on Skull Island. Because no one wanted to take them to the island, a man who lived far away on the other side of civilization helped. With him they went to Skull Island and they had to swim the remaining distance to the island because he knew he could never leave. On the island, the couple then found the body of their kid, surrounded by many restless souls and with them was the ghost of the dead boy. Overwhelmed by the shock, they tried to leave Skull Island, but they could not; the plants on the island seemed suddenly brought to life and formed a kind of wall around the jungle. The couple never managed to break through the wall with thorns. They also died on the island.  
"The story ends like this?", asked Lindsay.  
"It ends with another boat passed by Skull Island at night and on the beach the boat´s passengers saw a lot of weird characters, wrapped in a green light. Alerted by the light the boat never reached the island, as it was actually meant. Two of the passengers were the parents of the woman who has looking for her child with her husband and they recognized the recently missing couple and their child."  
Lindsay tried to imagine the scene and a cold shiver ran through her. She thought he had told her the story could be true and even some local people believed it. Lindsay was sure she had seen a green light on the island.

Meanwhile, Peter and Claire sat on stylish wicker furniture on the terrace in front of Claire's hut. They spoke very softly about today. Again, Claire told how frightened she was when Christina suddenly ran away. "There is no reason to be upset. We found Christina again", said Peter. The ocean was now almost black and until now he hadn´t noticed the small island in the distance.  
"We shouldn´t have told Connor and Lindsay."  
"They said something about it?", asked Peter and was relieved when Claire shook her head. However, Claire feared that Connor and Lindsay would not trust their kids with her and Peter. For one moment she listened to the sounds of the evening. Claire heard a whisper and it took a while before she realized what the voice whispered.  
"Did you hear that?", she asked and sat up a little.  
Peter looked confused. "What?"  
Claire shook her head, leaned back and listened again. "Mommy", this time she heard the whispers loud and clear. It was a girl´s voice that whispered clearly the word "Mommy".  
"Claire, you are concerned too much about..." Peter stopped mid-sentence and listened. He heard the sound of the sea and the wind in the palms, but there was something else.  
This time, Peter had also heard the whisper. The voice was now followed by an equally quiet voice. They tried to identify where the sound came from and now Peter noticed a green light on the little island in the distance. It had appeared with the mysterious chants.  
In another hut, Lindsay was about to go to sleep. If she could ever sleep, after Connor had told this story... Suddenly the chants she heard and the green light was back. She held Connors arm and pointed to the island. He was also surprised to see a light there, as far as he knew Skull Island was uninhabited.

"It was pretty scary," Peter told Connor next day while they waited at the front desk of the resort for two car keys. Of course Peter had already reported what he and Claire had experienced yesterday evening. A little anxious they looked to Claire and Lindsay, who sat at the entrance of the resort on chairs, waiting for them.  
A young native woman with tanned skin handed them the car keys and looked at them anxiously. She had heard what they were talking about. "My uncle lives on the other side of the island," she told them, "He can help you."  
"How did you know that he can help us?", asked Peter.  
"No one knows Skull Island as well as he does."

Actually, they had planned to visit a waterfall on one of the other islands of the Hawaiian archipelago, but the plan had changed. From the young lady at the resort front desk they knew the way to her uncle, a loner who lived on the other side of the island. When they arrived with their rental cars at the wooden hut of Keoni Mahiai, an elderly, bearded man entered the porch. "Aloha. Can I help you?"  
"Good day, Sir," cried Peter, when he got out of the car, "Are you Kenoi Mahiai?"  
"Do you maybe see some other person?" The man suddenly asked very harshly.  
"Your niece Lani sent us to you," said Lindsay now. She, Connor, Peter and Claire came to the man, the kids were left in the car.  
"She told us you could give us some information... It is about Skull Island."  
Kenoi seemed to have to think a while. Then he asked his guests to come in.  
As they noted, the hut was in very good condition. It had running water, electricity and was, in spite of which it was almost located in jungle, very neat.  
"You are the author of the novel Skull Island, right?", asked Lindsay, while she sat on a couch right next to Connor with Leah in her arms and Kenoi stopped. "That's right," he finally said, "How do you know?"  
"It was a guess." Secretly, Lindsay asked herself what Kenoi had done with the money he had earned with the publication of his book. Too much money, the hut couldn´t have cost.  
"Do you like to drink something?", asked Kenoi but his guests refused.  
"Your niece told us, no one knows about the island as well as you," began Peter, "But how can that be if no one ever left the island?"  
Kenoi smiled quietly to himself. They would never believe him when he told them what he had experienced. "Are you the man who took the couple to the island?", asked Lindsay.  
"Yes. The story is based on a stone-old native legend", he said, "If I had stayed there with them, I could never write the book... although I must admit that some part of the story is made up. But it's true: No one who entered the island could ever leave. I think the couple was lost in the jungle at the time or they were attacked by a wild animal."  
"That's all?", asked Claire.  
"What did you expect? Part of the story is invented. I brought a couple to this island 25 years ago and they never came back, that's true. But that´s all. And if you'll excuse me now, you disturb my nap!" Applied, Kenoi sent them out. What was he talking about? Kenoi certainly hadn´t to do anything important!  
"Come on Christina, we go back to the car," Mary said to her little sister and reached out for her hand. Lindsay and Claire looked worried for them, when they were back on the porch of the little hut. Peter and Connor tried to persuade Kenoi to tell them more about Skull Island.  
"I don´t know if I believe all this," said Lindsay and told Claire suddenly about the sinister whisper, which she had heard last night. "It was whispering my name."  
"I've heard it, too," said Claire stunned, "And I saw the green light... The voice called "Mommy". It was a girl's voice."  
"So what?"  
"The baby... The doctors at the hospital said at the time, it was a girl."  
"This means we heard the whispering voices of the dead."  
Peter came to them. He had heard the last spoken sentence and he asked what the voices of the dead were. Lindsay told him and added the presumption that Kenoi lied. "I'm pretty sure he hadn´t told the truth."  
Now Connor also came to them. "He says he won´t talk to us anymore…"  
"That means we can´t count on his help. I need to know if the green light came from a lighthouse."  
"What?" Claire and Peter were equally horrified, "Kenoi said that no one can ever leave the island."  
"We won´t enter the island," said Lindsay and looked at them, "We do it like Kenoi. We are passing it."

They spent the day with trying to find a boat company which could bring them to the island, but no one agreed. Actually, Lindsay thought it was reckless and irresponsible towards their kids to travel there.  
But the plan was they passed the island, looking for a lighthouse and then returned back in time. More and more mysterious things happened on this beach. She had to find out what it was.  
On the beach of the resort, where they lived, was also a small jetty. Lindsay was standing there, watching the setting sun. She heard footsteps behind her and turned half around.  
"Wouldn´t you come in?", asked Connor, "Christina wants a good night story."  
"I don´t believe you," she smiled, "That's your job." And he did it very well.  
"Okay," he realized he wouldn´t be successful with this strategy, "Then come in and drink some cocktails with me at the bar."  
Again she smiled. "That's very sweet of you," she admitted, "What about the whispers? What if they and the green light come back?"  
"You won´t find anyone here, who takes you to the island... Or driving past it...", a voice suddenly said and they turned around. Kenoi was standing behind them in a colorful shirt, swim shorts and sandals. He put his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Probably Lani told him where he could find them.  
"Have you changed your mind?", asked Lindsay surprised.  
"I'll drive past the island," said Kenoi, "If you also want to enter the island, that's not my problem."

Lindsay gave her kids a good-night kiss on the cheek and went then with Connor, Peter and Claire on the way to the pier. There they wanted to meet Kenoi. Even Peter was not thrilled to travel there at this daytime. He wanted to sleep. But in the darkness, they wouldn´t be seen and Kenoi got no problems if the resort management would figure out that he had borrowed a boat.  
They got into the little boat and until they were out of earshot, Kenoi paddled. For the last distance to the island the boat had an engine.  
"Can you see anything?", asked Peter and Lindsay shook her head. She didn´t know if that was a good or bad sign.  
"Lindsay."  
She had heard it loud and clear. She hastily turned around and asked if anyone had said something.  
"Look!," Claire's voice was like an applied gasping for air. She pointed to the beach: It was bathed in green light and they could see some figures. "I´ve noticed!", Connor suddenly sounded stressed and surprised, "Who are all these people?"  
He did not believe that this were people who stranded once on Skull Island.  
Claire discovered a sweet little girl with dark curly hair in the first row. The little girl looked pretty similar to her.  
She couldn´t say anything. Instead, she grabbed Peter's arm and pointed to the child that looked at them both. "That´s her!", croaked Claire, "Peter, she's so sweet." Tears welled in her eyes. She did not know how to react. She had never expected such an overwhelming encounter.  
Lindsay also gazed to the persons who stood on the beach and looked up to them.  
"What´s wrong?", asked Connor softly, "Do you recognize anyone?"  
She nodded silently, because she had seen a blond bearded man and a pretty blonde woman. Lindsay hadn´t met them for a long time. "Connor," she muttered and reached for his hand.  
"What?", he asked carefully and came to her. He also tried to identify someone from the figures. But he did not know the people.  
"Connor, these people are actually dead."  
"How do you know?"  
With her head she pointed to the blond man and the blonde woman. "These are my parents." They still looked like on the day on which the thirteen-year-old Lindsay Donner said goodbye to them for the last time before they went to work and never came back, because the lab exploded.  
He felt how confused she was and threw his arms around her. Lindsay could not stop looking at her parents. She had not expected to see her parents here and she remembered a thousand things she wanted to tell them: how happy she was with Connor, how they met and she had started a family with him and they already had three beautiful daughters. She wanted to tell them how much she missed them and she wanted to ask so many things.  
Suddenly they heard a surprised cry by Kenoi: The boat was hit by a drift. Claire and Peter lost balance and landed unceremoniously on the floor of the small metal vessel. Connor and Lindsay tried to hang on the boat railing, too. Lindsay tried to find her parents in the crowd, but she couldn´t see them anymore.  
"Paddle!", shouted Kenoi, "The engine can´t handle anymore!" The man threw paddles to them, but the streaming was stronger. The boat turned, like in a whirlwind and finally the powerful waves pushed it onto beach. They heard a scraping sound when the boat came up on the rough sand. Kenoi first jumped out of the boat. The green light, in which the beach was submerged, was gone. How Kenoi noted the boat leaked now. Even if they wanted to try it, the boat would not help, for now it would sink.  
Connor helped Lindsay out of the boat, while Claire and Peter went into the direction from which the green light had come. But they also had to find out that it had disappeared without a trace.  
"I'm sorry," called Lindsay desperately, "It's my fault! I wanted to come here!"  
She realized she would never see her children again if they actually couldn´t leave this island and she had to cry.  
"You're damn right, lady! It is YOUR fault! It was also your fucking idea to come here!", he shouted at her and Connor protected Lindsay: "Stop talking to my wife like that!"  
Kenoi decided it was not worth the trouble. They were caught on the island anyway. A dispute won´t change their situation. "No one enters the jungle! We´ll stay here on beach", Kenoi's voice sounded angry," The jungle is like a maze. There is also a colony of wild monkeys."  
"How do you know?"  
"Doesn´t matter..."  
"How do you know?" Lindsay repeated her question.  
"I wasn´t the man who took the couple to the island," Kenoi confessed, "I was the man who has searching with his wife for the missing son."  
"But how...? How could you escape?"  
Kenoi explained to them 25 years ago, a friendly old man had taken him and his wife to Skull Island. Just before they reached the island, the local fishermen had chased them out of the boat and shouted they should swim to the island. Kenoi, who named Kenneth Decker back then, and his wife searched on the entire Island for the missing boy. When they found him, he lay dead on the muddy ground, his foot got caught in an old tree root and his head was bent at an odd angle to the front. It had taken a while before they understood that the boy fell and broke his neck. Shocked, Kenneth and his wife Patty tried to leave the island but for some reason they couldn´t find the way back to beach. They knew the man who brought them, wanted to pick them up again in two days, but in this case, the boat left on without the new passengers. How he should learn much later the man had died a few days after this incident on a heart attack, including no one knew where Kenneth and his wife were. After one week on Skull Island in the knowledge that their child was dead and after one week without food, his wife rushed frantically from one of the rocks on the other side of the island. Another two days later, Kenneth managed to reach the beach. With his last strength he swam back to the island on which a beautiful resort was located and a lovely Hawaiian woman found him there, laying half death in the sand. The days without food on the island it had upset him. After 5 years, he married the Hawaiian woman, changed his name into Keno Mahiah, wrote the novel "Skull Island" and bought a cottage with the money he earned for himself and his wife. After sixteen years of marriage, his second wife died and now Kenoi lived alone.  
"And what about the army of the restless souls which lives on the Skull Island?", asked Peter. Kenoi told them the army was the imaginary part of the story.  
"Is there a light house on Skull Island?", asked Lindsay and Kenoi shook his head. Lindsay sought an explanation for the green light she had seen. But at least they could now imagine that the chants were weird noises caused by the monkey colony.  
"At least we have an answer why no one can leave the island by boat", Connor said. He thought about the dangerous streaming around the island.  
"Thank god I told my niece Lani where we are so she sends a helicopter, if we are not back until tomorrow morning. That´s why we´ll spend only one night."

As the stars and the moon shone in the sky over Skull Island they sat in front of an overturned palm tree near beach. Lindsay was sitting right next to Connor, her head rested on his shoulder and she fell asleep, while they had wrapped their arms around each other. Actually it wasn´t very cold at night. She needed his nearness, because she felt responsible they were stranded on Skull Island. She knew just as well as Connor, Peter and Claire, that this was wrong: She couldn´t know about the dangerous streaming in the sea.  
Similarly, Claire sat next to Peter and she had wrapped her arms tightly around him and slept. "Never leaving this island is a terrible idea," whispered Peter.  
Connor knew that feeling already from Mystery Island. The only problem here was that civilization was ready to hand. They watched in silence when Kenoi went up and down along the beach.  
"Don´t you think it´s scary?" Peter took his now previous question again.  
"No."  
"You probably never feel fear," observed Peter.  
"No, that's not true. During Leah's birth there were complications", Connor began suddenly. He took one look at Lindsay in order to convince himself that she really slept.  
"Why haven´t you told me?"  
"I don´t know. When you asked me how it was to be with Lindsay during giving birth I didn´t want to scare you… After two hours of labor suddenly birth stopped and the doctors said the umbilical cord had wrapped around Leah's throat. The only possible rescue was a C- section birth. I think that was the moment where I was afraid of losing my wife and my child. I´ve never experienced something terrible like that before."  
"But it worked out well."  
"Yes," Connor confirmed thoughtfully, "And this will find a good end, too. In addition, it is only one night."  
"Fortunately Kenoi had so much intelligence and told his niece, where we are."  
Connor nodded and watched as Kenoi walked still up and down, where the waves of the ocean met the sand. "Peter, what do you think," began Connor, "How could Kenoi leave the island 25 years ago?"  
"Maybe the streaming doesn´t surround the entire island," thought Peter, "Connor, did you see somebody you know in the light?"  
"No ... Lindsay saw her parents... What about you?"  
"We have seen our daughter," While Peter spoke, he stared at the stars. He couldn´t forget the sight of the little child. She looked like Claire. It had to be their daughter. "I suspect this island is such a thing as the gateway to the world of the dead," whispered Peter, "I think Kenoi has not expected to find these people here."  
"Yes, but I hope they won´t come back." Who knew what they would do with them? Connor was also very relieved that Mary was not with them now. Whom would she have seen? Her parents, Charles and Joan, or even McBeth?  
"What would you have done in my place?", Peter suddenly wanted to know.  
"What exactly do you mean?" Irritated Connor lifted his head.  
"Claire. Do you think we still have a chance?"  
"If you love her, then you have another chance", that was an honest answer. Connor was not in the right position to assess Peter´s mental life and certainly not to give him tips. But somehow he couldn´t shake the feeling that Peter felt anything for Claire. If this wouldn´t be true, he hadn´t ask her to come to Hawaii with him.  
"We should try to sleep a little," Peter suggested and in the distance a bird crowed, "I think I´ll keep the first watch and wake you in two hours." Mainly Peter wanted to use this time to think.  
"This is a very good idea," were Connors last words before he went to sleep tired.

"Where is the helicopter?", Lindsay thought. She didn´t wanted to pronounce this question after Kenoi already punished her with disapproving eyes. That´s why she didn´t want to say, his niece Lani had forgotten to arrange the helicopter.  
Today was a warm day and Claire are shielded her eyes from the sun when she looked across the sea.  
Last night had been quiet. Connor and Peter kept watch until dawn. They were probably relieved when the helicopter would actually apear.  
"What? Lani forgot you?", Peter asked his question.  
"Lani hadn´t forgotten us", as if on command a helicopter, which rescued the five stranded people a few minutes later from the island, appeared in the distance in the sky. Kenoi decided he would never come back here. He had no idea what kind of place this was and if it really was a kind of gateway to the world of the dead.  
Lindsay regretted she didn´t had the opportunity to talk to her parents. Disappointed, she pressed Connors hand. "Don´t be sad," he cried to her by the noise the helicopter caused. The most important thing was that they could escape from Skull Island and would meet their kids again.  
"How long will you stay in Hawaii?", even Peter had to speak very loudly and Connor responded that their stay would continue for five days.  
After this trip Kenoi disappeared without saying goodbye to them and Lindsay asked herself if he was very angry at her. Probably he left before he had to talk to the resort management about the broken, stolen boat.  
At the resort, Lindsay rushed immediately to the hut where her children slept. Mary was already awake and wore her mint green summer dress. Mary's dark, curly hair moved gently, when she turned around.  
"Mary!", Lindsay hugged her daughter and Mary was very surprised.  
"Mom, is everything okay?"  
"Yes, now," with these words, Lindsay went to Christina's bed and pressed her daughter in her arms. "My sweet baby," she murmured relieved, "I almost thought I´d never see you again." With Christina in her arms, she went to Leah's crib. Her youngest daughter was still asleep and Lindsay petted once through Leah's black hair.  
"Mom, is everything really okay?", Mary was still unsure, when her dad walked into the hut and he hugged her, too, she was more confused. "Mom! Dad! Would you please tell me what´s going on here?"

Strangely, the green light no longer appeared and Claire and Lindsay didn´t listen to more whispers.  
On their last evening on the island Connor and Lindsay were walking along the beach and then they drank a cocktail at the hotel bar. She would miss the beautiful surroundings but she liked that she and Connor came closer again through this holiday. She enjoyed knowing he still loved her like crazy.  
Tomorrow morning they would fly back to Colorado then the cold winter had them back. She thought about it wistfully. Lindsay drank her last non-alcoholic coconut cocktail for today then they went back to their hut on a narrow wooden path for the last time. She grabbed his hand. "It was a very nice vacation," she confessed to him, "It was a fantastic idea to do this." The wind rustled in the leaves of palm trees. "For this brilliant idea you deserve a reward."  
"What did you think about?", Confused he laid his brow and Lindsay, directly in front of him, grabbed now for his second hand. She thought it was adorable, he obviously had really no idea what she envisioned.  
"I'm going to look after the kids," she whispered to him, "Go ahead, light up some candles in our hut and open a bottle of champagne." That he could do without the rose petals on the bed, she didn´t had to tell him. They both didn´t know what to do with too much trash.  
Lindsay watched satisfied as Connor went to their hut alone. She went on her way to the hut where her children spent the night. Mary, Christina and Leah already slept. Relieved to be with her children, she petted through her two youngest daughter´s hair and then left the hut. She went back to her own hut, where Connor was waiting for her. She remembered that she had some sexy lingerie in her luggage and she wondered what he would say about it.  
She breathed deeply, but before she would finally go to Connor, she wanted to check on Claire: She was so depressed in the recent days because of the little girl which was obviously her daughter. Oddly, Claire's hut was empty and Lindsay had an immediate idea where she was. Claire and Peter had booked, as far as she knew, two huts. In any event Lindsay would not ask now, why the decided to give each other a second chance. To ask questions, she had enough time at home. Besides, it was just a guess that Claire was with Peter and even if, it was no guarantee they still wanted to try another time.  
Happy, Lindsay went to the hut where she and Connor spent the night. They wanted to spend a passionate night together, before they had to leave this paradise.

Fin?


	6. Mystery Forrest

Title: Mystery Forrest  
Author: DancingStar  
Paring: Connor / Lindsay  
Rating: 12  
Summaries: An unknown creature kills animals and injures people in the area near Mystery...  
Comments: You won´t believe it but you've probably guessed: Next to R.L. Stine, Stephen King is one of my favorite authors. "Pet Sematary" and "Desperation" are fantastic books! The master of horror has taught me one thing: You should check first if there´s may a sinister pet cemetery before you move to a small town. By the way there´s a little joke at the end of the story. I hope you understand and can forgive me…!

**Mystery Forrest**

"Life- sized James Bond cardboard standup caused police operation in Mystery", Connor read in a newspaper during breakfast, "A resident of an apartment block in the city pushed a life-size cutout of the with a pistol armed Pierce Brosnan in front of his window during cleaning up. A man, who just walked by at the window at that moment, believed the cutout was a hostage-taker and called the police."  
Lindsay laughed and looked at Leah, who was perching on her arm and also giggled. Christina was sitting in her high chair and preferred playing with her breakfast instead of eating it.  
Now Mary rumbled down the stairs. "Mom, may I stay with Erin today?", she asked and her mother nodded. Next, Mary said she wanted to call her best friend and at that moment the phone rang. On the assumption it would be Erin, Mary answered the phone, but she found out that Peter called. She greeted him, asked how he was doing and then she gave the phone to her Mom. "Hi, Peter," said Lindsay, "How's work?" Lindsay asked Peter all sorts of questions. Since her departure from Hawaii, she hadn´t med Peter and Claire and she was very interested, why Claire hadn´t spent the last night on Hawaii in her hut. Finally she asked:"How's Claire?"  
"Very good... May I please talk to Connor?"  
Lindsay was surprised why he avoided her in this point and she handed the phone to Connor. She smiled at him when she left him at the kitchen table and went next door to change the diapers of the now crying Leah. "Peter, how are you?", asked Connor.  
"I'm so glad I can finally talk to you," Peter sounded relieved, "Lindsay already questioned me about lots of things... Connor, I´m having a problem."  
Connor was excited to hear what kind of problem it was and he furrowed his brow when he looked at Lindsay.  
"I think Claire is in love with me."  
"If I remember correctly, you recently asked me if you still have a chance."  
"Yes, but..."  
A bit annoyed Connor rolled his eyes. He couldn´t believe that they actually had this conversation. Peter was talking on the phone and after a while Connor stopped listening to him. "Do you love her?", Connor asked.  
"Yes, I do. We almost had a child, but..."  
Obviously, Peter got cold feet, Connor thought.  
"Claire is not my dream girl," Peter said suddenly and Connor could not believe that he was still chasing this phantom. "If it calms you, I can understand," said Connor, as he put a bottle of mineral water in the refrigerator, "My dream girl has bright blue eyes, endless legs..."  
Lindsay, who laid Leah in her cradle, and stood in the doorway, felt flattered when she heard this. But then Connor said: "...She has dark hair and perfect, full lips. Adriana Lima is actually a very pretty woman. "  
"If so, this evening you can look for someone else who will cook your dinner," said Lindsay and Connor hadn´t noticed until now that she was standing in the door and heard the conversation, "And you can sleep on the couch tonight. "  
He ended the phone conversation and told Peter he would call back another time.  
"Lindsay!", Connor ran after her and grabbed her wrist gently, when she wanted to leave, "Honey, that was only hypothetical! I love YOU!"  
"It´s hard to believe it," she sounded very hurt and got away from him.

She avoided him for the rest of the day. Lindsay was shocked and disappointed about his lack of tact and therefore it couldn´t hurt if he realized how offended she was. How it could also come up that he was saying such things? Maybe it was because she only cared about the kids and... She noticed that even in big trouble she just took care about the house keeping: She made dinner for the family. For a split second she was convinced to be a boring housewife and it was no wonder that she was so longer the woman of Connors dream´s. After almost two years, the dream of eternal love was faded away...  
When she thought about him, the door to the kitchen opened and Connor came in, Christina was sitting on his arm. "Hi, honey," Connor said to his wife and stayed next to her, "I´m very, very sorry for what I have said to Peter on the phone. Please forgive me."  
"Why? I'm probably not good enough. You´re secretly dreaming about another woman...", sullenly she threw the pizza dough on a baking sheet. She thought it was very childish, that she was jealous because of a woman which Connor never met in person.  
"What can I do so you believe me?", asked Connor, "I would do anything. Please don´t be angry with me."  
"Obviously you only see in me the woman who raises your kids, washes your clothes and cooks your food..."  
"That's not true, you ..."  
She didn´t even gave him the chance to answer: "You have to do a bit more then asking me for forgiveness," she finally said and Connor understood. He came one step closer. Because she just took care of the dinner, she wouldn´t run away from him. She also was crazy about him: Her jealousy was the best proof. With his free hand, he drew Lindsay to him and kissed her deeply. She was surprised and stopped her breathing. Lindsay had not expected that he would kiss her. Finally, he ended the kiss. "Feels like you forgave me", he whispered and she shook her head. "No, I didn´t. Why should I?"  
Christina, who still sat on Connor's arm, saw now a cookie jar and pointed to it. Of course Lindsay had noticed. "Sweetie, the cookie jar is empty. Mommy first has to buy new cookies", she comforted her daughter.  
"Really?", asked Connor and looked at Christina, "Shall we take a look?" Together with his daughter on his arm, he went to the cookie jar and opened it. Disappointed, they both found out that the cookie jar was actually empty. This fact helped Connor a little, because after they had Mary´s favorite food for dinner and she left for Erin, Lindsay took Christina and Leah to bed and Connor was preparing for his biscuits-backing plan. He never baked cookies before, but that was exactly the point why he had to ask his wife for help.  
"No, I don´t help to bake cookies," she said when she returned from Leah's room. Whatever Connor did, he seemed to have no success, after all it wasn´t meant that way. "It´s sad that we´re back from Hawaii since one week and we´re having a dispute."  
Lindsay thought for a second. He was right. So she decided to help him with the cookies. Finally he did it for Christina and he still would have to sleep on the couch tonight. "You can clean up alone", she told him uninterested after they had pushed the cookies into the oven, "I'll bring a blanket and pillow, so you can sleep on the couch." She just put a bag of milk in the icebox.  
"Are you still angry with me?", Connor asked, pushed her against the closed door of the refrigerator and blocked her way, "I ask this question until you give me an answer: What should I do so you forgive me?"  
"Connor, what you said today on the phone is like a breach of trust for me."  
"Then help me forgetting Adriana," he murmured and came closer. She hated that look in his eyes: He looked at her in the same way when he knew she couldn´t resist him.  
"Why don´t you call her and ask her if she wants to go out with you?", she said resolutely, "Get out of my way."  
"Not now."  
"I hate you," she whispered.  
"I know." Relieved, he noted that she didn´t even try to resist his deep kiss, quite the opposite. It was completely unnecessary to hold her and caress the warm skin of her neck reassuringly. She still enjoyed it and moaned disappointed when their kiss was over.  
"Do you believe now that I'm really sorry?", he asked softly and she nodded silently, "Do I still have to sleep on the couch?" This time she shook her head and he smiled at her.  
"What can we do, until the cookies are done?", he asked, then grabbed her hands and pulled her slowly with him to the couch, "I know someone who wanted to prove to me that she´s much better, more beautiful and hotter than... Well, you know who."  
"I love you," she said softly as she sat on the couch with him and kissed him.  
"I know."

"We received a postcard from your parents," said Lindsay when she and Connor had breakfast next morning. Apparently Edward and Julianne spent the holidays in a different place, too: They travelled to England and had sent a card.  
"I hope your parents aren´t upset because we traveled to Hawaii..."  
Connor grabbed the hands of his wife concerned. "Don´t worry. I´ll talk to them", he smiled at her and then there was a knock at the door. They wondered who could be the early visit and Connor got up to answer the door. "Mom," he said surprised and asked her in, "Nice to see you. Where is Dad?"  
"He´s in the hotel and wanted to sleep for a while after we arrived at night," said Julianne and she discovered Lindsay at the breakfast table. "Lindsay!", she said happily and hugged her. Lindsay was a little uncomfortable, that Julianne had surprised her in a bathrobe and pajama, but she was pleased to see her.  
"Julianne, if I had known that you visit us, I would be dressed slightly different", but Lindsay embraced Julianne.  
"Oh, never mind! How are you? And how are the kids? How was Hawaii?", Julianne gave her no chance to answer, "We have already received your card. Edward and I spent the holidays in England in a nice country house."  
"Why are you here?", asked Connor. He hadn´t expected that his parents would come for a visit.  
"Your father and I are celebrating our 35th Wedding anniversary next weekend here in town. Mystery reminds us of the good old days when you and your brother were kids."  
"This is a nice idea, but how can you celebrate your 35th Wedding anniversary? I'm already 39 years old!", Connor crossed his arms over his chest. If he had calculated correctly, his parents were married for 45 years.  
"People don´t need to know, how old we are. We actually don´t celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. But you and the kids are very welcome", Julianne said, smiling, "Connor, Lindsay, I hope that one day you're still as happy together as we are today."  
"If he continues like yesterday, our relationship wont´ last long," Lindsay murmured and Connor was shocked by her remark. He had explained to her in detail it wasn´t meant that way and SHE was the most beautiful woman in this world. He apologized for he hadn´t thought for a moment.  
"What did you do that your wife is mad about you?", asked Julianne.  
"Mom, it's all right."  
"I hope so!," Julianne's voice was firm, "You´re having a wonderful wife and you can be lucky she married you at all!"  
Lindsay was glad that her mother- in-law war her opinion. Connor hated his mother told once again the same old story: She had feared for a long time he would spend his life alone. Connor knew she was right: Without his family life would be damn lonely and he was happy to have wife and kids.  
"Mom, it's really all right. And now excuse me, I have to feed the horses", with these words he went out, but then he stopped in the door and came back to Lindsay. "Can I have a kiss?", he asked and she put down her teacup.  
"Sure," Lindsay smiled, leaned over the table and kissed him. Then he went out.  
Julianne waited until Connor had left. "Is it true what he says?"  
"Of course."  
"He doesn´t annoy you too much? You had a dispute?"  
"No," in laughing Lindsay shook her head, "It was only a little difference of opinions... Where will your party take place?"

Connor was delighted when in the afternoon his father also came to visit, while Julianne played with Christina. "Christina, can I have the doll with the pink dress?" said Julianne and with tears in her eyes Christina announced that it would be her doll.  
"Your kids are really spoiled," Julianne said now and Connor was horrified when he heard this. This wasn´t true, moreover, his mother played only with Christina. His two children couldn´t hardly be mentioned.  
"Mom, when did you illustrate this old book of fairy tales?", asked Connor. He remembered well the book which he had found on the attic. The princess and the prince in the book looked like Connor and Lindsay. Because his mother had once worked as a professional painter, he assumed that she had drawn the pictures.  
"What book do you mean?", asked Julianne and received another doll by Christina.  
"I think it was Sleeping Beauty."  
Julianne was confused. She never had illustrated that book. "The pictures aren´t mine," she said. Julianne had at that time had no reason to read Sleeping Beauty for Connor and Charles when they were children.  
With Leah in her arms Lindsay came to them now. The baby still used to sleep long. "Hold your baby," said Lindsay and handed Connor his little daughter.  
"Good morning, Leah... Actually it´s already afternoon," he looked at the baby, lifted her up and Leah laughed happily. Julianne shook her head amused and she got up. Christina was offended because her grandmother preferred to look after her little sister. Little Princess Christina was crying desperately for attention and she only calmed down when her Mom took her on her arm. Meanwhile, Lindsay managed to hold Christina in her arms while she prepared a bottle for the baby. Nevertheless, Christina was still offended when her grandmother held Leah in her arms. "Christina and Leah are so beautiful," Julianne slobbered over her grandkids, "Connor and you were trying very hard to have beautiful kids."  
A smile flitted over Lindsay's face. Of course they didn´t think about the same but Julianne was right: Lindsay and Connor were trying very hard…  
"Mary shouldn´t hear that", Connor laughed. Now, Lindsay also sat next to him and he grabbed her hand and held it.  
"What are you talking about?", asked Mary, who came home from Erin, hugged her grandmother. The phone rang, and because Mary was near, she answered the call. Then she came into the kitchen and handed the phone to Connor. "Dad, Hugh Carmichael is on the phone," she said, "He wants to talk to you and says it's important."

"I never saw something like this", Hugh Carmichael said, after he stopped his red pickup truck in front of the house of the Doyle family. Hugh said on the phone, he had to show them something important and they were excited to see what it was. "Hugh, good to see you!", Edward said, when he saw the son of his former neighbors, "How are you? Have you gotten married with Sara Smith?" Hugh laughed and nodded. But then he remembered the real reason why he had come.  
While Connor and his father spoke to Hugh; Mary, Julianne and Lindsay walked to the horses, which were now in their paddocks in front of the barn. Julianne reached out for her favorite sand-colored horse and leaned against the fence. "Is that Hugh Carmichael?", asked Julianne. She knew Hugh from the time when she and Edward had lived here. Connor and Hugh were the same age and when they were children they were very good friends.  
"Fortunately, he hasn´t brought his daughter," said Mary, "I don´t like Tina." Of course her grandmother knew Tina. As far as she knew Tina was now a very talented rider. Perhaps it was the reason why Mary (and Erin) didn´t like her.  
"...I found the lamb in my pasture," said Hugh, while he went with Connor and Edward to his car´s loading floor. He pushed a green plastic sheet aside and showed them the half-eaten body of a one-year old sheep.  
"Who did this?", asked Edward and Hugh had to admit he didn´t know. In this area neither wolves nor coyotes lived. "Maybe it was a runaway dog", Hugh speculated, but he had never seen a dog that ate up his victims to a half. Connor asked why he showed them the dead sheep and his neighbor told he wanted to let him know that a free-running dog was probably poaching here. Finally, Hugh had to leave.  
When the taillights of Hugh´s car were seen for the last time, Connor and Edward wanted to set off to the stable. "What was so important?", asked Lindsay and Connor explained to her probably a dog was straying in the area.  
"Mary, what do you think it if we saddle the horse and then I'll show you some commands?", her grandmother suggested. Julianne wasn´t able to ride since a long time, but she could give her some granddaughter good tips. Mary, Julianne and Lindsay went into the barn to get the horse ready. Connor wanted to follow them, but his father took him by the arm.  
"Would you follow me", Edward said to Connor, they walked around the house and Edward opened a door that opened the way to a dark staircase. "What is this?", asked Connor, while his father went down the dark stone stairs and switched on a flashlight which he had placed directly on top of the stairs.  
"This is an old cellar," his father told, "When your mother and I bought this house, it was explained to us, the basement was used as a storehouse for hay and feed, when the winters in Colorado were still hard and the farmers had problems to get new hay and straw for the animals.". Edward switched on a lamp and it took several minutes until the room was illuminated with light. Today, no hay was stored in the basement. Only an old cabinet was leaning against the wall.  
Edward stretched for a small key that was on the cabinet. Then he opened the lock and pulled out an object. "Here, take this," said Edward to Connor and handed him the gun.  
"This is a gun."  
"I know," Edward confirmed, "This is only for emergencies."  
"And you´re talking about which kind of emergency?"  
"If a malicious, wild dog attacks the cattle on your pasture... Or worse: One of your kids... Besides, you don´t even know if it´s a dog- it could also be a wolf. Maybe it´s a wolf pack, which increases the territory... But if it is a wolf, you should shoot him before something happens to someone."  
Connor accepted the gun. "You know, I don´t like that."  
"I know that. It´s only meant for your best."

"Mom, Claire's on the phone!", Mary cried in the evening after dinner and immediately handed the phone to Lindsay. She and Claire first talked about trivial things until the family finished dinner. Lindsay signaled Mary and Connor they should leave her alone. "By the way Erin will arrive later with her horse. Can we finish a box for Callisto?", With these words Mary told to her Dad that she now had an overnight guest and took Christina out of her highchair. Together they left the room. Leah was allowed to stay with Lindsay and with the baby on her arm Lindsay walked through the kitchen while she also held the phone with her second hand. "We are alone, so tell me," asked Lindsay and Claire was confused, "I finally want to know what happened to Peter."  
"What´s wrong with Peter?"  
"He avoids me if I ask him what you and he did in your last night on Hawaii."  
"How did you get the idea we were together?"  
"You weren´t in your hut", at the other end of the line Lindsay heard a faint swallowing.  
"That's right, I was not in my hut and I was not alone," Claire admitted, "But I wasn´t with Peter." A brief moment of silence. Then Claire sighed and Lindsay sat on a chair. She had to sit down. Leah mumbled and sucked on her own fist and her Mom sighed.  
"I've met someone on Hawaii," said Claire, "As it turned out, we both live in the same city and I spent my last night on Hawaii with him. His name is Matt and after a few drinks at the bar we got talking. He told me he also worked with the OSIR and at that moment I knew it wasn´t just by chance, it was destiny. Suddenly...", Claire struggled for words, "Being with him felt so good and I could not resist him and... We spent the night together, that's true."  
"And what about Peter?", Lindsay asked. She hoped that she didn´t sound reproachful and she realized what this meant for Peter.  
"Peter has been behaving very strangely since Hawaii," she said, "He asked me several times if I wanted to have lunch or dinner with him. At that moment, he knew nothing about Matt... Of course, he knows him: Matt is our new case manager, but I could not tell Peter about us. Yesterday afternoon, I agreed to have lunch with Peter. I forgot my lunch at home and he invited me. We were in a nice little café and waited for our food when he suddenly took my hand and said he´d like to give us a second chance. He often thought about us in the last few days and about how it would be to have a child and he regretted very much that our baby had died. Peter told me he wished we could try again and be happy together."  
"What did you answer then?", asked Lindsay.  
"I told Peter I had met someone and I love this man very much. I could not tell him that it is Matt. I know, I don´t even know Matt, but... Since then, Peter gets out of my way. He agreed to take care of a case in South Dakota at the same day."  
Lindsay thought she could understand Peter very well.  
"Please don´t tell Peter that it is Matt", Claire implored at the other end of the line.  
"Don´t worry, I won´t tell him," Lindsay was dizzy and she shook her head, "Claire, I have to hang up. I think Leah needs a new diaper. See you." She hung up. Leah didn´t need a new diaper, she sat still on her Mommy´s lap and babbled happily to herself.

Connor noticed how restless and confused she was. "Is everything all right?", he asked when he went to bed at night and picked up a book. Lindsay was next door in the bathroom and looked in the mirror for a long time.  
"Yes," she finally answered.  
"This response took too long," Connor concluded that there WAS something what depressed her, "Do you want to talk to me about it?", he turned a page and then looked to the bathroom door. The bathroom light was on but Lindsay wasn´t standing in the doorway.  
"I promised Claire not to tell anyone," said Lindsay. She had promised Claire that she wouldn´t tell Peter. Connor was never mentioned. With arms crossed over her chest Lindsay now was standing in the door frame and looked at him. "Claire didn´t spent the last night on Hawaii with Peter, but with Matt. Matt is her new case manager and she says she loves him."  
"What did Peter do?", Connor thought it was his fault because he had encouraged Peter to ask Claire for a second chance.  
"He doesn´t know that it´s because of Matt, but he avoids Claire since then. She asked me not to tell Peter", she finished her report with a sad expression on her face.  
"Come here," Connor whispered, put down the book and wrapped his arms around his wife when she also went to bed. "Is this Stephen King?", Lindsay asked, tired and smiling after she had read the book title. She enjoyed Connors nearness and snuggled up to him.  
"Pet Sematary," Connor said while she also threw her arms around his torso, "I've never read it before." So far, Connor found out that the main character in the book was the head of the university´s infirmary.  
"You know, I often wondered how it would be if I would teach in a college..."  
"Are there some colleges which interest you?", she knew exactly why he had thought about it.  
"There are some good colleges in Denver," said Connor. He also knew he would be on the way two hours a day by car. The alternative was, of course, that his family moved to Denver with him. Mary would certainly averse to move to Denver. And Leah was born in Mystery.  
"Don´t worry. I´m sure only a wolf pack killed Hugh Carmichael´s sheep."  
"It's not just about Hugh's sheep. Last night three dead calves and a dead cat were found on the Campbell's farm."  
"It´s just a pack of wolves... This is no reason to leave the farm."  
He nodded silently, but it seemed like he couldn´t believe in it. Connor kissed his wife good night and switched off his lamp.

Meanwhile, Mary and Erin next door were still awake. It was Friday night and because they hadn´t to go to school tomorrow, they could now stay up longer.  
"I'll tell you: Something is out there in the forest, which kills the farmers' calves and sheep... But what?", asked Mary and was Erin annoyed that her friend couldn´t talk about anything else. Of course, Erin was also worried about the dead calves and sheep, but she suspected the unknown hunter was a straying dog.  
"Let´s watch a movie", Mary suggested and Erin agreed. Because Mary had no TV in her own room, they had to go into the living room. There, Mary put a video tape into the recorder. "Are you serious?... It´s _Dolores_," Erin asked doubtfully, when she saw the title of the film. Sometimes she wondered why she and Mary were best friends: While Erin wasn´t interested at all in the paranormal, Mary nearly breathed it. Mary secretly saw herself as a new OSIR Case Manager. Recently, in an unwatched moment in school, she scribbled the words "Case Manager Mary Doyle, out," on her writing pad. Of course, Erin had seen it and she found it a little disappointing that she preferred to travel in world, instead of staying in Mystery and to take care of her parent´s farm someday. Mary's future plans were definitely different than Erin's.  
"You said you've never watched this movie before," said Mary.  
"Guess why?", Erin frightened almost to death because of this film. A noise from outside rescued her: "Did you hear that?", she asked, reaching for the remote control and pressing the pause button.  
Erin heard a squeaking noise. There it was again, but she could not assign the noise. It sounded like an upset pig.  
Suddenly it began to dawn on Mary, what that sound was. "Mom! Dad!", she yelled in panic and jumped up from the couch. Her parents had heard the noise, too. With giant steps Mary and Erin ran to the front door and out to the stable, while Connor was searching for the gun which he hid in a closet.  
At the old barn, Mary formally threw herself against the door to open it faster. "Nancy?", Mary called for her horse and the sand-colored mare lifted her head confused. The noise which woke Connor and Lindsay from sleep was an upset grunt of a horse. Nancy was uninjured and Mary let the light beam of her flashlight slit over Big Red: Even Big Red seemed frightened, but he was OK and he rushed out into his paddock.  
"Where's Callisto?", asked Erin. Her horse was missing.  
"Maybe he's in the paddock," suggested Mary and her dad finally reached the barn with the gun. "Let´s check it," he suggested. Connor went around the house. Lindsay, Mary and Erin followed him at a safe distance. It was almost scary, to sneak around the stable in the darkness of night. As Connor noted, the fence of the paddock was destroyed and he had no idea how that was possible. The paddock fence was made of solid metal rods.  
"Callisto isn´t here," Connor told them, but next moment he was thrown to the ground by a strong opponent. In shock he noted how unpleasant his attacker smelled. He felt sharp claws into the left side of his body and a shot dissolved from his rifle. His attacker disappeared into the dark wood. He heard his growl still in the distance.  
"Where's Callisto?", asked Erin. She was looking at the ruined metal bars of the paddock and tried to imagine what forces were necessary to inflict such damage. However, Lindsay and Mary sat next to Connor, who was still on the cold ground and held his left side. Horrified, his wife noticed his wound was bleeding.  
"Connor, you're hurt," Lindsay cried and helped him to get up. With the help of the girls she brought into the Connor house. "It´s s only a small scratch," he reassured her. He was dizzy.  
"This little scratch is bleeding very much," called Lindsay horrified, "And you are almost unconscious", as soon as he was sitting on the couch, she grabbed the phone to call a doctor.

The doctor left one hour later. He told Lindsay she shouldn´t worry and Connors wound didn´t even need stitches. Anyway she had an unpleasant feeling when she went upstairs, where Connor was in his bed, trying to sleep. The doctor had disinfected the wound, gave him injections for tetanus and rabies and applied a bandage. Then he gave Connor some painkillers and told him he should rest in the coming days. Worried, Lindsay took a seat next to him. "How do you feel?", she asked.  
"Great. I feel ready to take on anything."  
"Connor, that´s not funny."  
He wasn´t joking because when he moved too quickly the bandage tweaked. Lindsay took his hand in hers. "You look depressed. Is everything all right?"  
"I've been thinking about what´s really important to me", Connor murmured.  
"Is it possible that you received too many painkillers?", Lindsay asked back and he squeezed her hand.  
"No," said Connor. His family was the most important for him and he would do everything to protect them. "I've been thinking about us: If we don´t catch this beast, this isn´t a safe place for our children. Then we should think about moving. After all, I want your safeness... Candi is a cute name, don´t you think?"  
"For what?"  
"For a baby. A sweet, little girl."  
"Candi Doyle. That sounds awful... And we can´t afford that because of the farm."  
"Kids are born whenever they want. Sometimes it can´t be planed and they don´t care if you can afford."  
"Your mother would be offended if it was a girl again. She told me she´s already knitting blue baby socks."  
Connor grinned at her. "Is that a yes?"  
"The doctor gave you definitely too many painkillers," she got up, kissed him and left him, saying he should rest well. Lindsay went.  
"Is Dad all right?", Mary asked as her mother came to her and Erin into the kitchen. Lindsay was terribly sorry that they had witnessed something terrible like that, but it wasn´t changeable. "Yes, he is a little bit confused currently," said Lindsay, "The painkillers are pretty strong."  
"Can we do anything for you?", Erin wanted to know and Lindsay gratefully shook her head. She tried to smile and Erin watched her now, how she locked the gun into the cabinet.  
Mary suggested they should go to sleep, but the events confused her. So she grabbed her laptop in her room, sat on the bed and was looking for a specific website, while Erin changed clothes in Mary´s bathroom.  
"I would like to know what hurt my Dad", said Mary thoughtfully, as Erin walked into her room again. For Erin, it was clear who or what was the unknown attacker. She lived in Mystery since birth and she never saw wolves or coyotes. She expressed her suspicion and Mary thought for a second. "What, if a werewolf bites us?", Mary asked, "Then we become a werewolf in a full moon night."  
"You´re mistaking werewolves for vampires," Erin said.  
"No, there it is," Mary showed her friend the website, "The Europeans in the Middle Ages believed that they would transform in a werewolf when they were bitten."  
"What's that?", Erin asked, pointing to a small link that was located in the lower right corner of the screen. Mary clicked the link and found a website with information about a supernatural being, which was known under the name Wendigo for its cruelty. They could read on the Web site that Wendigos should have some similarities with European werewolves. "There´s even a picture," Erin was pointing to a photo, "It looks like the monster which attacked your Dad."  
"You saw it? Are you sure?"  
Erin nodded. She saw the creature only briefly, but she would recognize it at any time. "What´s written there?", asked Mary, "There are 4 ways how to become a Wendigo", she read and stopped breathing when she discovered the fourth option. Exactly the same happened to her Dad and Mary was shocked: "You get injured by a Wendigo... Does that mean my Dad is transformed now into a monster...? How can we undo it?", Mary asked.  
"You can heal Wendigos only by fire," Erin read, "The website says this is the only way to destroy their heart of ice."  
Mary wondered how that should work. She couldn´t set her Dad in fire. "There is, however, that all people who became a Wendigo, could be healed if the Wendigo who is to blame for the transformation, will be killed."  
"That means we have to find him..."

Connor was awakened the next morning, when Christina was sitting beside him in bed and played with all her "My Little Pony" - horses. He was looking at the clock and noticed it was already afternoon. Outside, the sun was shining and the snow reflected the light. It was a perfect January day.  
"Mommy asked you to sit here and take care about me?", Connor asked and his daughter smiled at him, "Well, I´m sure I won´t run away…"  
Christina handed him a purple-colored pony made of plastic. Connor took the pony and decided to get up. The bandage tweaked even more today than yesterday and the wound hurt more.  
He held Christina's hand until they reached the stairs, then he took his little daughter on his arm because she couldn´t climb stairs alone. Luckily, Christina wasn´t very heavy.  
Lindsay fed Leah, when she noticed him. "Why didn´t you stay in bed?", she asked and noticed he had Christina on his arm, "I told you not to carry Christina. Why don´t you listen?", she asked a little impatient. He had been seriously injured yesterday and she didn´t want the wound to burst open under the bandage, because he really dared to carry Christina. When she looked at him stunned, he kissed Leah's forehead and then his wife. "How do you feel today?", she asked.  
"Horrible," he confessed. He told his wife that he still had pain.  
"The doctor left some painkillers for you," she pointed to the little box which was next to the refrigerator. Connor thanked for pointing and filled a glass with water to take the tablet more easily. "I had a strange dream last night," he said.  
"This is no surprise if you read Pet Sematary," Lindsay smiled when he sat down next to her, "Have you seen Mary and Erin up there? Are they still sleeping?", she remembered that Erin's horse had disappeared last night, "Maybe the two are looking for the horse."  
"That's pretty dangerous," Connor noted, "Have you ever tried to reach Mary by cell phone?"  
"Several times, but she doesn´t answer." Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door and Connor wondered who the visit was. "These are your parents. I invited them to lunch", Lindsay said and she had to confess she had almost forgotten Julianne and Edward in the hustle.

"What do we do next?", Mary asked when she rode on Nancy and Erin on Big Red through the woods. Again and again, a voice in Mary's mind announced she shouldn´t be here alone in the forest. But then the little voice noticed that Erin affixed the gun on Big Red's saddle and she was reassured. "I didn´t know you can handle a gun," Mary began and Erin looked at her.  
"My Dad uses anesthetization guns when he has to catch one of the cattle," Erin said, "He showed me how this works and this gun is not much different." Erin was slipping restlessly in the saddle. She wasn´t used to ride on a horse, which carried a 24-pound Western saddle on his back. Callisto was an elegant horse. But it wasn´t Big Red´s fault he was not like Callisto.  
Now they reached the top of a hill and Erin slowed Big Red. "Do you have your cell phone with you?", she asked and Mary nodded. She got it from her pocket and she saw on the display that her Mom had tried four times to reach her. "Whom should we call?", asked Mary.  
"How about your Uncle Peter?", Erin suggested, "He could help us."  
Mary nodded in agreement. She would call Peter to ask him how he was doing and then tell him that she suspected her Dad was a Wendigo. Probably her uncle would think she was completely crazy. But she had to do it: So far, Peter had always listened to her and he had always believed in her. Not that her parents did not, but right now Mary didn´t know if she could trust them. So Mary chose Peters office number. This phone number she had copied from one of his business cards.  
After three tones someone answered the phone. "This is the mailbox of Peter Axon, OSIR," said Peter's voice and Mary was disappointed he could not be reached, "I´m on a business trip at the moment. In urgent cased please call..."  
Mary hung up.  
"He isn´t in his office," she said, "And now?"  
Erin had no idea. This morning they got up very early so that they hadn´t to meet Mary´s Dad, but it couldn´t go on, of course. "If we can´t ask your uncle for help, then let's find the Wendigo."

"What do you think about Mary is riding alone through the woods while a wolf is prowling around?", asked Edward Doyle, a little annoyed when he heard that his granddaughter was staying in the forest. He was also annoyed she obviously avoided him.  
"I tried four times tried to call her," Lindsay defended Connor, "But she doesn´t answer her phone."  
"Then we should search her... Connor, where's the gun?"  
"I've put it back on the cabinet," said Lindsay, Edward went to the cabinet and stretched. He groped for the gun, but it was not in the cabinet. "Are you sure? I can´t find it."  
They had an immediate idea of where the gun was, and they had to leave to prevent something worse. While Edward put on his jacket again, Julianne accepted to take care of the children.  
"You´ll stay here," Lindsay ordered to Connor, "You are still injured."  
Connor wanted to disagree, when it once again knocked at the door. Edward hoped that it was Mary, who came home. Instead, a man was standing before them. He and Julianne had met him 14 month ago on Hawaii.

"I just came from South Dakota," Peter told his friends, "Actually, I should take on a case, but I couldn´t stay for one more second."  
"I can imagine," Lindsay said softly.  
"I don´t know how to deal with all this...", Peter suddenly stopped, "You know? Claire told you?" He noted stunned, when Connor and Lindsay nodded.  
"I'm sorry," Connor said and he sounded very honestly, "If I hadn´t encourage you to ask Claire, that would never happened."  
"No, it's not your fault. You can´t change she met someone at Hawaii..."  
"Peter, you should go back to South Dakota," Lindsay appealed to his conscience, "If someone finds out you are here with us and you left work, then..."  
"Matt won´t tell anyone. He owes me something... I needed some distance."  
When Connor and Lindsay heard this name, they exchanged a worried look and they feared they might tell him which person was the reason why Claire avoided him. "Why don´t you travel through the country?", asked Lindsay, having ulterior motives, "Mount Rushmore will be very beautiful at that time of the year." (Probably because of the snow Peter would only get a glimpse of Mount Rushmore.)  
"I saw what I wanted to see. Therefore, I prefer being here... You seem to be in a hurry. What happened?"  
They told Peter about the wolf that had killed a few sheep and calves on the neighboring farms and then injured Connor. They also reported about the gun and that Mary and Erin were set up to shoot the wolf. Peter decided not to waste any second and they should immediately set up, too.

Lindsay hated the idea that the injured Connor was here with them. He was injured and the doctor told him he should stay in bed. She tried to calm down by thinking the doctor, when he came to see Connor today evening, would surely be angry. Then he would realize it would be wiser to stay in bed.  
"The wolf which attacked me must be huge," Connor said to Peter who nodded. In addition, they had asked Hugh Carmichael for help because he had a gun. For Hugh, it would certainly be a pleasure to shoot the wolf.  
They had now been out since one hour and the deeper they went into the woods, the darker it became. The snow crunched under their feet and under his thick winter jacket, Peter began to sweat. They decided to rest for a few minutes to breathe. Lindsay was amazed how fit Edward suddenly was. When she met him and Julianne for the first time a little more than 14 months ago on Hawaii, she believed the two would be the frailest people in the world. They probably were much fitter now because the two wanted to see her grandchildren grow up for a while.  
"How are you, Connor? Can we continue searching? ", Peter asked Connor out of breath and he nodded. He felt dizzy and sick again and the wound burned like fire, but his daughter was in danger. He could not give up. They heard a rustling behind them. Lindsay immediately switched on the torch, which she had brought and Hugh Carmichael loaded the gun. He got ready to shoot the wolf when it was necessary. Again she heard a rustling then she saw a large shadow between two trees.  
"Is this Callisto?", asked Connor, while Lindsay breathed easier and her husband decided to go to the horse. Coming closer he realized that it really was Erin's black horse, which was lost since last night. Callisto tore up his head when he saw Connor, but then he calmed down. Connor reached out to the horse's halter. Callisto was breathing deeply and when Connor took him to Lindsay, he noticed the horse seemed to be hurt. Lindsay looked at the animal worried. "Is he hurt?", asked Connor.  
Lindsay could see that the blanked which Callisto wore, was torn. Deep scratches dragged on Callisto left rear hip. "If these wounds heal ever again, he will never be able to jump," she said, "We want to take him home," suggested Lindsay. With a severely injured horse they´d be an easier target than usual. Connor agreed and as they left the forest with the horse, they heard a bloodcurdling howl. Peter turned around again to search for the source of the howls. It didn´t surprise him he could not see it.

Erin's Dad was very grateful that they took Callisto home. They came by foot and because Callisto wasn´t able to move, the walk took almost two hours although Mr. Green´s farm was only two miles away. Callisto once even lay down on the hard road and refused to get up again. Lindsay pulled as hard as she could on Callisto's halter, while Peter and Hugh pushed his backside with all their might. Now, not only horse's hip was injured but also the knee. They stayed until the vet arrived to examine the horse. The vet believed there was not much hope for Callisto: The injuries on his hip were too strong and he probably had lost lots of blood.  
Lindsay imagined what this meant: The veterinarian would have to euthanize Callisto.  
"I think Erin should say goodbye to him," said Erin's dad, "Where is she?"  
"She is with Mary," said Connor, "We wanted to look for them. Then we found the horse." They promised to find Mary and Erin as quickly as possible.  
While they were talking to the vet, they sent Peter home to get a car and they were glad to see when he finally reached the farm of Erin´s Dad by car.  
In silence they drove home. Lindsay was looking in the rearview mirror and noted how Edward was staring at the window and sometimes lifted his eyebrows. Connor looked like as if he would fall asleep at any moment. She would immediately send him to bed when they were at home.  
Finally they reached their house and Lindsay helped her husband to get out of the van. "I feel terrible," he tried to smile.  
"Doesn´t surprise me", said Lindsay. She would help Connor to go inside, make sure that he´d go to bed and then search for Mary and Erin.  
"There are Erin and Mary," Peter said suddenly and he closed the driver's door. All at once Connor was wide awake again. "Mary", he called her, "Would you please come here?"  
Mary looked at Erin worried but then stopped her horse in front of Connor.  
"Do you think it´s ok to ride out alone, if a wolf is out there?", he saw the gun dangling at Big Reds flank, "You have actually taken the gun... Mary, I am very disappointed."  
"I´m also disappointed, Dad... You are a Wendigo", said Mary.  
"What?", Connor, of course, knew what a Wendigo was, but he had no idea why she thought he would be one.  
"We really wanted to help you and find the Wendigo, which is responsible for your transformation, but unfortunately we haven´t found it."  
"Mary, I'm not ...", a growl interrupted them. Because of the impending dispute Hugh Carmichael almost forgot the gun in his hand completely, when he saw the large wolf, which fixed them with his eyes but now he was again ready for firing. He had never seen such a huge wolf and he could imagine that he belonged to a pack of wolves, which still wandered in the forest. Mary and Erin were very relieved when they saw the wolf. So their Wendigo-story was greatly exaggerated and far-fetched.  
"Hugh, now shoot!", said Connor. It took almost forever for Hugh to get the gun ready. The beast was staring at them greedy and saliva dripped from its mouth. The animal tried to attack the horses, but in this moment Hugh Carmichael shot. Shocked by a loud bang, which caused the gun, Nancy and Big Red rushed a few steps backward and Julianne left the house with Leah worried. She had heard the shot and asked what had happened. A pond of blood appeared around the oversized dead wolf.

Nancy finally calmed down and Mary got out of her horses´ saddle. "Dad, I'm sorry I thought you were a monster," her apology sounded very seriously, "Erin had this idea. She believed the creature which attacked you, was a Wendigo."  
"That´s ok," Connor said to his daughter. Then he turned to Lindsay, who was still standing next to him and supported him. "Look at her", he said to his wife, "WE created a monster." Lindsay smiled about this remark, but then she saw Erin, who apologized to Hugh Carmichael. She let Connor go and went to Erin.  
"Erin, I almost forgot," Lindsay said now to her, "We found Callisto this afternoon and he´s seriously injured. The vet says he can´t save him and he has to be euthanized."  
"Is that true?", Erin's voice broke, "Were is he?..."  
"Peter takes you home", it doesn´t sound like a request. Peter did her a favor and took Erin home so she could say goodbye to Callisto.  
"What do we do with the wolf?", asked Connor and Hugh said he would take him to the Pet Cemetery in the neighboring town. The Forestry Commission would hopefully take care about the wolf pack in the woods.

Mary almost longed for the following weekend. After the vet had euthanized Erin's horse, she couldn´t bear the sad face of her friend. After school, they didn´t spent time together, which was also because of the fact that Erin said she doesn´t want to ride on Big Red. Mary hoped that Erin's dad would quickly find a new horse for her.  
"Mary, are you ready?", asked her Mom. Mary sat on her bed, thinking a bit before they would leave for celebrating her grandparent´s 35th anniversary in the city. They wanted to have dinner in Ana Carmichael´s restaurant, Hugh Carmichael 's younger sister.  
Horrified, Lindsay remarked, after she braked the car on the parking lot and got out, that Connor was carrying Christina again on his arm. "You shouldn´t carry her," Lindsay reminded him. Mary watched amused, how Connor was now trying to convince Lindsay he was fine and he could carry Christina without problems. "Would you let me explain, please?", he asked, when he wasn´t able to get a word in edgeways and Lindsay shook her head. Lindsay continued talking that he had to recover well and wasn´t allowed carrying heavy things.  
Mary giggled and noticed another car that was parked next to them now. It was Peter's rental car. He couldn´t believe he was hiding here again because of Claire, but Connor and Lindsay were his best friends. They understood him and always knew some advices. He wondered if he perhaps should look for a job here and stay. He should stay here until Connor was healthy again, he thought. Lindsay would certainly need help with the horses. He couldn´t bear to see Claire's happy face and to know he was not responsible for it, but another man. Connor and Lindsay knew nothing about his plans. "Hello, everybody," he greeted them and then he congratulated Julianne and Edward for their wedding anniversary and thanked them they had invited him, too.  
On the other side of the street now a van stopped and two people got out. "Grandma, you also invited Claire?", Mary suddenly asked. When Peter heard this he thought for a second she had come to talk to him about what had happened in the last days. He turned to her and saw that she was not alone. Matt was with her and he held her hand.  
Peter immediately knew what the problem was when he saw Matt and Claire together.

Fin?


	7. Mystery Sky

Title: Mystery Sky  
Author: DancingStar  
Pairing: Connor / Lindsay  
Rating: 12  
Summaries: The Doyle family is haunted by aliens...  
Comments: You know, I´m interested in aliens and UFOs and I was shocked when I read on the internet that a dead alien was found in Russia in mid-April 2011. Unfortunately (or Thank God) it was just a dummy again.

**Mystery Sky**

One week had passed since Peter met Claire and her new boyfriend Matt in front of a restaurant. In retrospect, he wondered why Matt hadn´t stayed in South Dakota how he wanted to do. Peter wanted to know why Claire came to Mystery. When he saw the two walking hand in hand, he knew immediately what was going on and he was the man who had fallen in love with Claire. After the Doyle family had entered the restaurant, he was standing at the main entrance with Claire and Matt and asked them to explain it to him. He couldn´t endure Claire's stories how she met Matt on Hawaii and fell in love with him. They began to argue and Peter didn´t know that Connor and Lindsay were watching him. Peter told Claire he never wanted to see her again. He was sure some other guest had heard the confrontation, but he didn´t care. Then Peter returned to the hotel where he lived.  
Since this terrible conflict Peter hadn´t left town, but he had apologized to Edward and Julianne, because he hadn´t appeared at their party. Actually, Peter had no intention of ever leaving town. Lindsay still needed help with the horses and he wasn´t in the mood to return to his old job. He was so fed up with Claire and Matt. Therefore, he was now looking for an apartment and a job here in Mystery.  
Today, Peter had an appointment in an apartment in a building across the street from Ana Carmichael's Restaurant and he was relieved at least one part of his plan was done yet: He had received a commitment for the apartment, now he only needed a job. Peter was searching for a job in the Mystery Shopper, the newspaper of the little town Mystery. The local high school was looking for a new physics teacher. Physics wasn´t Peter's specialty and he wondered why Geology wasn´t a subject in school. He leafed through the newspaper while he was walking on the sidewalk and collided with a figure which fell to the ground. Some tomato and potato were rolling across the snowy sidewalk. Peter immediately recognized the woman he had pushed to the ground. Apparently Ana Carmichael had just bought food for her restaurant.  
"Excuse me, Ana. I haven´t seen you", he helped her to pick up the vegetables.  
"Me too," Ana was sure she had seen him before, "Have we ever met before?"  
"Last Saturday in front of your restaurant."  
Ana now remembered. She hadn´t seen such a terrible fight for a long time and she had feared she could lose some of her guests.  
"It´s nice to meet you here because I actually wanted to come to your restaurant to apologize," Peter confessed. Meanwhile she had picked up the vegetables and he handed her his hand to help her getting up. He helped Ana carrying her purchases and so they walked slowly to the restaurant.  
"That's fine," Ana smiled, "I've seen much worse things." Ana told him once a man had been at her restaurant for dinner with his secret girlfriend and that evening his wife also appeared with her friends. She then made a terrible scene.  
While Ana told, Peter wondered what the difference was between his and Ana's story. "My name is Peter, by the way", he said to her suddenly and she nodded.  
"I know. You are a friend of Connor Doyle, a neighbor of my brother. Do you live here, too?"  
"Yes, I've got an apartment today," both were standing in front of Ana´s Restaurant and Peter pointed to a multi-storey building across the street.  
"I guess we'll meet more often", Ana suspected, thanked for the help and then she said goodbye to Peter. She had to be done with her work. And Peter also: He had to find a job urgently...

Half an hour later, Lindsay called for Connor because she wasn´t able to find him. She wondered where he was hiding and when she went up the stairs she saw he was standing on a chair in the hallway, changing a light bulb. "Connor," she admonished him and stood next to the chair. Now he noticed his wife was standing next to him.  
"Hi sweetheart," he said and jumped from the chair. She had often told him he should stay in bed and take care of himself, but for some unknown reason he didn´t want to obey.  
"Come on, we need to change your bandage," Lindsay said and went into the bathroom. The family doctor had asked to change his bandage every day. Because the wound pad firmly stuck to the scab and so she hadn´t to pull down the pad painfully, the doctor had even left a bottle of saline solution.  
"Is it really necessary?", he asked and she nodded.  
"Yes, it is," she confirmed, "Take off your shirt."  
"You didn´t say this to me for a long time," Connor obeyed and smiled at her when she threw her arms around his waist and she slowly took off the bandage. She looked at him and shook her head. "Stop teasing me," she ordered.  
Connor knew why she wasn´t amused about his joke: She was still shocked that the wolf had hurt him and she hated the thought she could have lost her husband. He tried to explain to her he wasn´t hurt very bad.  
She replaced the bandage and when she told him she was done, he pulled her close and kissed her. Lucky, Lindsay threw her arms around him and returned the kiss, when they suddenly heard a call from Peter.  
"He found the spare key," Connor noted with disappointment. After Peter helped them with the horses, he spent every day here. Somehow he must have found the spare key in the flower pot next to the front door.  
"I am looking for a new hiding place for the spare key," she said and left the bathroom.  
"I'm coming down, too," Connor yelled.  
"Get dressed, first," Lindsay winked at him. Then she went downstairs and asked Peter if his housing search was over. Meanwhile, Peter had told them he wanted to stay in Mystery. "I got an apartment," said Peter, "It´s next to Ana Carmichael's Restaurant. Now I just need a job."  
When Peter said this, Connor entered the kitchen. "Connor, how are you?", asked Peter.  
"Terrible," Connor admitted. For someone who felt terrible, he was teasing his wife very much, Lindsay thought.  
"How can I help today?", Peter asked and Connor had an idea immediately: " The fence near the forest is broken so we should fix it."  
"We´ll fix the fence?", Peter asked.  
"Yes, I´ll come with you."  
"You're not going anywhere!", said Lindsay horrified. She followed Peter and Connor to the front door and her husband stopped. "Honey, I'm fine. There is no reason why I shouldn´t help Peter... Peter also will do all the work. I´ll take responsibility."  
His wife looked at him, still shocked when he kissed her goodbye on the cheek and then he left through the door.

After they had placed the car on the snow-covered area near the forest, Connor and Peter were carrying a drill and wood slats on the pasture. Peter first noticed an unpleasant smell on the paddock and he asked Connor if he perhaps had used a new lawn fertilizer last year, but Connor did not.  
Connor knew his horses were outside today and he called them by name. Normally, Nancy and Big Red responded immediately when they were called. But when none of the animals came to him, Connor began to worry. He whistled and called the horses again. Then he saw them: Nancy and Big Red were standing in front of the trees in the adjoining paddock and stared to a shed, where some old equipment was stored for lawn mowing.  
Connor thought, he saw something behind the shed, a form that looked like a head. Before he could examine the strange form, Peter asked how many wooden boards he should carry to the broken fence. When Connor looked back to shed, the form was gone.  
About twenty minutes later they had removed the broken fence slats and randomly Connor saw in the corner of his eye a head behind one of the big trees, which then disappeared immediately. He was two feet above the ground, but the head was larger than a human head. "Did you see that?", Connor asked.  
"What?"  
"Nothing," Connor replied and they continued working. Another thirty minutes later they had attached the last and highest wooden slat on the fence with a drill. Connor held the wooden board, while Peter was sitting on a pristine part of the fence and operated the drill. Peter suddenly stopped working. The sound of the drill died.  
"What´s wrong?", Connor asked.  
"Did you hear that? Somebody sneezed."  
"Nancy and Big Red are on the paddock today. It could have been one of them", Connor suggested. They continued working and when they were done and wanted to go to the car they heard a sneezing, this time loud and clear. It wasn´t a horse and it came out of the bushes near the spot where they had worked. "Bless you!," Connor yelled but the unknown observer in the forest didn´t answer.

Peter and Connor didn´t see any necessity to tell Lindsay about the strange observer in the paddock. They had lunch and after that Peter continued looking for a job in the local newspaper, while Connor took care about the farms´ accounting in his office. First, he paid the last feed dealer- bill online then he took care of today's post. He wondered about a letter from Toronto. The letter had been sent by registered mail and Lindsay had signed the receiving for her husband. Connor had no idea what might was in the mailer. So he opened it. At that moment Mary came back from school. "Hi Dad," she called and put her school bag on the stairs.  
"Hi Mary, your lunch is in the fridge", Connor answered her.  
"Where's Mom?"  
"She´s left to see the pediatrician with Christina and Leah. Looks like as if your sisters are suffering from chickenpox. Fortunately your mother and I had chickenpox when we were children, but what about you?", he laughed, "Mary, do you still remember when Dan Aykroyd was on our doorstep?", Connor asked and Mary appeared with a bottle of water in the door frame. "As if it was yesterday", she recalled, "This day in last July was one of the most important days in my life. Why do you ask?"  
Connor showed her now three blue cards. "He hadn´t forgot us: He sent three cinema tickets for the movie which was shot on Mystery Mountain. Would you like to see it? The film opens today in theaters."  
Mary wasn´t sure what to say: Of course she wanted to see the movie, but...  
"What about you and Mom? You don´t want to watch the movie?"  
"I don´t think so." They had to care for Mary´s little sisters this evening.  
Mary thanked him and wondered who she should invite for the movie. She had two movie tickets left and she couldn´t ask her best friend Erin: Erin hated Alien movies and since her horse Callisto had died, they quit spending time together. Her other friends from school were ´t interested in aliens, too.  
"Why don´t you ask your cool uncle if he comes along?", Peter asked. He was sitting next door in the kitchen, reading the newspaper.  
Mary thought. "Okay," she finally said, "Uncle Peter, would you go to the movies with me?"

"Are you sure really you want to see the movie?", Peter asked a little skeptical when he and Mary were waiting at the movie theater in the evening. She didn´t mind that her parents hadn´t come along, because as it turned out, Christina and Leah were really suffering on chickenpox.  
"To answer your question: Yes, I would like to see the film. Maybe there´s even a picture, when I disturb the shooting in the middle of the night. Maybe it´s an out- take."  
"I don´t think so," Peter told and then he heard a voice calling him. He turned around and saw how Ana Carmichael waved to him. She was also waiting. Peter waved back and said she should come to them.  
"Ana, nice to see you," he said and Ana smiled.  
"You´re welcome, how´s your job search, Peter?", she asked, suddenly Mary was appalled: "You´re looking for a new job?"  
"You haven´t told me about your daughter before", Ana noted. She looked at the young girl with long, wavy hair.  
"I'm his niece," she corrected, "My name is Mary, like Queen Mary of England."  
"I don´t know anyone in your age, who´s interested in history."  
"That's why we´re here," said Peter, "No one in Mary's school is interested in aliens. So I have to watch Abducted with her."  
"The film is about egg-headed aliens who came to fetch us. Typical aliens, as you probably know ", Ana laughed merrily and Mary was pleased she had an information about the film, "The film is based on a true story", Ana remembered now, "Is it true that one part of the film was shot on Mystery Mountain?"  
Mary told her now that she was even there when the movie was filmed and now Peter wanted to know if it was okay when Ana joined them. So they were watching the movie with Ana.  
Mary was a little queasy when Peter took her home some minutes before midnight after they had seen the mysterious ending of the movie.

Next morning, Mary left the house for school in time. Although she only arrived home a few minutes before midnight and went to bed late she felt fit as a fiddle. It was an exception that she and her uncle were out until late at night.  
Like every morning she set out alone on the way to the street where the bus stopped to take her to school. When Mary got in the bus, she noticed that her uncle had brought the horses to a different paddock yesterday evening. Big Red was obviously sleeping on the floor: He had stretched his legs and Nancy was standing right beside him. While Mary was a little surprised, because Nancy was not moving, she decided not to give much attention to the incident.  
When she came home from school in the late afternoon, Big Red was still lying in the snow and she didn´t believe he had moved since this morning. Nancy was still standing next to Big Red and stared at him. As soon as Mary had got off the bus, she called for the horses, but they did not come. Worried, she ran up the gravel road to the house where she lived with her parents and put her school bag on the stairs. She saw her father sitting in the kitchen: He was drinking a cup of tea.  
"Dad, I think, something is wrong with Big Red. He is lying in the paddock since this morning. Nancy is next to him and stares at him all the time."  
He decided to listen to his daughter and called the vet. Because Dr. Johnston was near, he promised to come along and look after Big Red. When he saw the horse in the snow he felt it would take longer. Doctor Johnston complained about the fertilizer, even now it smelled disgusting although it was winter and he examined the horse: The vet checked the vital parts with its portable ultrasound gadget and everything seemed to be OK. "He didn´t certainly die because of heart failure," the veterinarian noted.  
"Was it too cold at night in the paddock?", Lindsay asked, although she didn´t believe this was the reason for Big Red's death. Big Red had a thick winter coat and he wore a blanket.  
"I don´t believe this. He must have died from another cause."  
"But why? You checked his health status before I bought Big Red!", Connor recalled a little bit angry, "Big Red was in perfect health!"  
"I know... I would like to take him to my animal clinic, if you don´t mind", the vet, who was kneeling next to Big Red, was now getting up, "Perhaps he also died from poisoning. The grass smells unpleasant. Which manure is used?"  
Connor recalled Peter asked the same yesterday and Connor never used manure in the paddocks. In addition, using manure in cold February made any sense.  
"Take him with you if you want!", Connor admitted furious. He was already looking forward to the test results. The vet nodded and told them he would examine now the head of the dead animal. First he examined the teeth, nose, ears and finally the horses´ eyes. He pushed Big Red's right eyelid to the side and the Veterinarian was surprised: "The right eye is removed."  
Lindsay and Mary didn´t know how to react when she saw it. They wondered who did something terrible to such a brave and good horse like Big Red. The vet was already looking forward to what he would find next, so he immediately called a shipping company which took Big Red to his animal clinic.

The phone rang that evening. The Doyle family and Peter were having dinner, when Connor noted the phone and answered the call. "It´s the veterinarian", he whispered to his family and Peter asked what had happened. Mary told him they had found Big Red dead in the paddock and the vet wanted to find out the real cause of death.  
"I found about 3 mm wide holes all over his body, even at points below his blanket," if that was true, Connor thought, somebody took off Big Red´s blanket and later put it on again, "The holes are located on the vital parts. The strange thing is that the wound edges aren´t bloody. It almost looks as if the wounds were cauterized."  
"Are there more news?", Connor asked and heard a helpless sigh at the other end of the line.  
"I don´t know how to tell you this...", the vet hesitated, "I left my animal clinic for ten minutes to buy a cup of coffee. The horse lay on the table. When I returned, it was gone."  
"Are you serious?" Connor noticed how his family looked at him now. Doctor Johnston explained he had no idea how a dead horse could disappear within ten minutes (he needed ten minutes to get a coffee from a shop across the street from his clinic) and why there had been no traces: Dr. Johnston always locked up his surgery when he left and this time it wasn´t different. He was sure he had locked up the door this time, too, and there was no evidence of forced entry.  
When Connor ended the call and came back to them he told his family what had happened. Mary seemed to have an idea: "I think I know what's going on, Dad, but you won´t like it."

"Extra-Terrestrials. I don´t know what to think about Mary and Peter's theory", Connor told Lindsay when they went to bed late at night. Connor walked aimlessly through the room, while Lindsay was sitting on the bed and watched him. She found Mary's theory made perfect sense: Why else would Big Red have died suddenly? Why was his body covered with access holes? Why he disappeared within 10 minutes from Dr. Johnston´s animal clinic? Where did the disgusting sweet smell on their paddocks come from?  
"I think they´re right," Lindsay said finally and Connor sat down beside her on her side of the bed.  
"Can you still remember when Mary thought she had met an alien in the forest?", he asked, "You know, I'm wondering why you two couldn´t remember you saw an UFO flying over the mountains, if everything what Mary saw last year, was just fiction... It is hard for me to admit this, but I think, too, Peter and Mary are right. Honey, I guess there's something similar."  
"But unlike last time, they now study our animals and kill them... Oh God. Connor, what if they were in the house and we just don´t know?" So far, nothing strange happened inside the house and so far the disgusting smell was only located near the animals. For some reason they seemed only interested in the horses. Probably they had already satisfied their thirst for knowledge about humans, Lindsay thought. If it wasn´t so, she had no idea what to do.

Next morning, Lindsay cared first about Christina and Leah. Both children were still covered with red chicken pox. Lindsay put an ointment which she had received from the pediatrician at her daughters´ faces and when she was done, she told them they should be brave and ignore the itching. They even had to wear gloves. "No, Mommy!", Christina complained and took off her gloves. Lindsay laughed, took Christina out of her chair and Christina put her arms around her Mommy´s neck.  
"I was wondering if you would ever wake up," Lindsay said to Mary, when she came into the kitchen and hurriedly ate some cornflakes with milk. Mary replied with full mouth, the bus would come just in ten minutes and while she ate, she looked out the window. "Mom?", Mary said suddenly and turned around to her mother, "Why is Nancy in our garden?" Normally, Nancy wasn´t allowed entering her Moms garden.  
"Maybe she jumped over the fence," her mother suggested.  
"Dad and I took her into the barn last night," Mary recalled. Breaking out was impossible.  
"I´ll bring her into the barn later. And now eat. You have to go to school."

Because of Big Red´s death Mary wasn´t able to sleep last night and now she was worried about Nancy. The revenge came in the lunch break and she was sitting alone in the school library and studied some pages in a book. She believed the concern for Nancy was right.  
The book Mary read was about people who reviewed cases in which people were abducted by aliens. The book also told animal mutilations and UFO sightings sometimes are closely connected and in 1967 a dead animal was found for the first time on a farm north of Denver, right next to the Colorado River: the animal's head was separated. When Mary read this, she thought, what an irony it was they also were living in Colorado.  
In the pasture where the dead horse was found in 1967, there were no traces of blood or footprints. A veterinarian had examined the horse and came to the conclusion there would be no animal that could cause such precise wounds to a horse. In addition, in 1967 the process of cauterization was still unknown, so no human had killed the animal. Then there were more reports of animal abductions. In America, cows were most often abducted and in the UK wildlife animals were affected. One farmer told in a report the situation was like a harvest. Other eyewitnesses reported about light phenomena or noise in the sky or the animals were found in areas, which were known for alien activity.  
Mary wondered why her family had earned all the anger. Why couldn´t they just live in peace like other families, too? Tired, Mary closed the book and went back to her classroom at the end of her lunch break.

While Mary was in school, Lindsay was planning drive to town for shopping. She just wanted to put Leah in her car seat when she heard a snowmobile coming up the street. She fastened the straps on Leah and wanted to get Christina out of the house, when she noticed that the snowmobiler looked very confused. In the meantime he had turned off his vehicle´s engine and looked helplessly on a map. When he could not find his location, he got off his snowmobile and went to Lindsay. "Excuse me, Ma'am," he cried, "Can you tell me where I am?"  
"You´re in Mystery."  
"And where is Mystery?", apparently the man had never heard about this town.  
"In Colorado."  
"That's impossible", the blonde man shook his head in disbelief, "I set off 30 minutes ago in Buffalo, Wyoming." It was actually impossible. He couldn´t cover the distance between Mystery and Buffalo in 30 minutes. Lindsay guessed this distance was to cover in about seven to eight hours.  
"Can you tell me what time is it?", he asked.  
Lindsay glanced at the clock in the car. "It´s 12:30 p.m."  
The young man seemed now even more irritated. He told it was 10:00 a.m. when he left Buffalo. That would mean he had lost 150 minutes. Lindsay immediately thought that time delay was an indication of alien abduction. She asked him if he could remember anything unusual, but the young man shook his head and at least she told him how he could reach the town center.

"Nancy was straying in our garden this morning," Mary told her Dad after she came home from school and was warming up her lunch in the microwave, "I have no idea how she came there. The fence is intact and I don´t think she jumped over it. Nancy doesn´t like to jump. Erin once tried it with her, but...", now Mary noticed that her Dad seemed to think about something, "Is everything all right?"  
"Sure, I... I should... I may lie down for a while." Connor hurriedly left the kitchen. But he didn´t lie down, like he had told his daughter: He was looking for his wife. Of course, she had already told about the snowmobiler, who got lost in Mystery in a miraculously way. But Nancy was never mentioned.  
Lindsay was in Leah's room and she wanted to lay the baby down for a nap.  
"Is that true? Nancy was straying in our garden this morning?", he asked.  
"Yes. She probably run away", Lindsay suggested, patting Leah's back.  
"No, she didn´t," Connor replied.  
"How do you know?"  
He told her about a weird dream he had last night: In his dream he saw Nancy, who was operated by some tall creatures on a clearing in the forest and he added it was very strange that Nancy was walking in the garden next morning.  
When told Connor that his wife was shocked. She knew Connor sometimes got up at night because he couldn´t sleep and she didn´t believe it was really a dream. A few days before Connor had to take painkillers because of his injury, but didn´t need it anymore. Connor was probably checking Nancy in the night: After Big Red had died they brought Nancy back into the barn so they were able to put her under surveillance. When Connor wasn´t able to find the horse in the barn or in the paddock, he was searching for Nancy and he also found her. Probably someone had erased his memory of this event. Obviously not good enough...  
Now she also remembered that Connor's shirt smelled very strange this morning and when she thought about it she got sick.  
"We call the vet for Nancy," Connor suggested, "I have a feeling something´s wrong with the horse." He immediately called the vet who wanted to come by that afternoon.  
When Dr. Johnston had arrived, Connor, Lindsay and Mary gathered in the barn, watching the vet. First, the doctor noticed how sweet and unpleasant the barn smelled and he added the smell probably was caused by hay. The smell was strong in Nancy's horse stall.  
"For what exactly shall I search?", the vet asked.  
"Examine her vital parts, for example," Connor suggested. Doctor Johnston took nearly an hour until he had finished his investigation: He felt for all vital parts and examined the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and the abdomen with an ultrasound gadget. Finally he took a picture with his ultrasound gadget for them. "The foal is now about 6 inches tall so that means..."  
"You said the foal?", Lindsay thought she had misheard.  
"Didn´t you know she is pregnant?", said the vet.  
"No," Connor, Lindsay and Mary answered simultaneously. How should this be possible? Big Red was castrated since he was one year old and as far as they know no resident of the surrounding farms owned a stallion. Wild horse didn´t exist in the area.  
"How did this happen?"

"I don´t understand," Lindsay told Connor after dinner. As usual, they invited Peter for dinner and of course they told him the vet examined Nancy today and she was expecting a foal. They also reported there were no horses on the neighboring farms and wild horses were not seen for 20 years in this area.  
Mary sat at the table with them and she stared at the foal´s ultrasound pictures, which the vet had given her. She didn´t believe that foal had developed in a natural way: Rather, she believed the aliens did this to her horse.  
Before the vet had left she asked him how long she was allowed to ride Nancy. He told her she could ride Nancy in the next five months then she should stop. For a second she wondered if she should ask her Dad to buy her a new horse, but this wasn´t necessary: After Big Red's death and Nancy's pregnancy they needed a new horse. Mary had heard how her Dad talked to Hugh Carmichael and asked him if he had a horse which he would sell him.  
"I don´t know how that could happen", Lindsay repeated, but she also thought everything fit together: After all, Connor had "dreamed" the horse was examined by strange creatures. That probably meant Connor had come in contact with them and he couldn´t remember now. She wondered if they should call Anton and ask him for help and she wondered if it wasn´t better to leave the farm.  
"We need help," Lindsay said thoughtfully and Connor and Peter looked at her, "We should call Anton."  
"I've already called Anton," said Peter, "Currently, he´s in hospital because he broke his arm and his leg while skiing. Anton can´t help this time." He had even also thought about asking him for help. This time they had to solve this case alone.  
"Why don´t we ask Claire and... What's his name?... Why don´t we ask Claire and Matt for help? The two are still in town and they´re living in the Armstrong Hotel."  
When Lindsay heard this, she was horrified. They had discussed the fact Claire had fallen in love with Matt and ignored Peter since then.  
"Do you really think we should ask both for help?", Peter asked. He thought it was a bad idea. Claire was complicated enough. It was hard enough for him.  
"Much more important is," Mary suddenly began, "How we get rid of this alien thing in Nancy's belly."

In the night Mary was awakened by a strange noise. In a room next door she heard how a heavy object dropped to the ground, she saw a bright flash of light. Mary was cold when she saw it and she knew what that light was. She put her feet on the carpeted floor of her room. With slow, heavy steps Mary went to the door. Her whole body suddenly felt so queer. Mary stepped out of her room and saw the bright light came from the end of the hallway. At the end of the hallway the master bedroom was located. "Mom? Dad?", she asked and opened the door. Mary's heart stopped when she noticed her mother was hovering in a kind of light beam. Her arms and legs were hanging down powerless. "Mom!", Mary cried, then she saw her father: He was sitting on the floor in front of Lindsay´s walk- in closet. His head was tilted forward and he looked like he was sleeping. She came closer and tried to wake him. Even in the green light with which the room was filled, his skin looked pale and lifeless. "Dad? Dad, wake up!", Mary cried but then she discovered a wound on Connor's head. Two inches above his ear, yawned a round hole. When Mary looked into the wound, she could see the other side of the wall. She felt incredibly sick, when she realized her father would never wake up again, because somehow... No, she couldn´t even think about it! "Dad!", she screamed in tears and shook him violently, "Dad! Dad! Dad!" Suddenly, the ground underneath her feet vibrated, she heard a deafening hum. The green light that lit up the room turned now into a white light.  
"Mary!", she suddenly heard her mother's voice and a hand touched her shoulder. Mary opened her eyes and saw how her mother sat down beside her on the bed, "Mary, what´s wrong?", Lindsay was asking herself why Mary was crying and screaming in panic in the middle of the night.  
"Mom, where is...?", tears suddenly came in Mary's eyes, when her Dad walked into the room with her three-month-old sister Leah in his arms. He patted the back of his crying baby. "I had a terrible nightmare," Mary told them now, sobbing. She reported about everything as best as she could and her parents listened to her excited and worried. They tried to calm Mary and Connor suggested to open the window for a moment. A little fresh air would be good for Mary. As soon as he opened the window, he noticed the sweet smell and Lindsay noticed it, too. She looked at him with a horrified expression on her face, holding her crying daughter in her arms. They both knew what this smell meant: they were here. For the first time the aliens were near their house.  
In that night it was impossible to sleep for Mary. Once, she watched how her parents talked quietly about if they should call Peter and ask if they were allowed spend the night in his apartment. Lindsay told her husband she would leave the farm as soon as possible. If they wouldn´t do that, the aliens probably entered the house and then Lindsay wanted to know if his kids might should be kidnapped and never be found again. Of course, Connor shook his head.  
Mary asked if they would bring Nancy to Hugh Carmichael, so he took care of her. Her Dad told her they would leave Nancy on the farm. He didn´t want to involve Hugh Carmichael into this.  
"This is my fault," Mary said suddenly, "I am sure this nightmare wasn´t an accident."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Do you remember I said after dinner, we have to get rid of Nancy's alien foal?... I'm sure they've heard it. And this dream was a warning. They showed me what would happen if something happens to the thing in Nancy's belly."  
She watched how her parents exchanged a glance. "Pack your bags," Lindsay said finally to her, "We're gonna drive to Peter." She had no idea if they would be safe there, but she was relieved when Mary obeyed and packed some clothes in her bag. Her parents also packed a number of important things and put the bags into the car. Then they got Christina and Leah from their beds, they sat in the car and drove to town.

"My God, what happened?", Peter asked sleepily when he opened his apartment door at 2 p.m. in the morning and saw the Doyle family. The children were tired and wearing their pajamas and winter jackets. Apparently they were in a hurry, because Mary and Lindsay hadn´t even taken the time to put on winter boots.  
"Peter, I'm sorry we´re bothering you at this time," Connor said, while Peter helped them to carry the luggage in the apartment, the hallway was filed with a lot of packing cases. "That´s okay, but... What happened?", Peter still had no answer to why they were here. He went into his kitchen and made a cup of coffee for Connor and Lindsay, Mary received a glass of Coke.  
They sat down at the table and told Peter about Mary's nightmare and about the presumption it was a warning, for the case something should happen to the thing in Nancy´s belly.  
"Peter, it's unbearable," Lindsay said.  
"It's okay if you stay the night."  
"This is very nice, but that´s not what we meant," Connor said and now Peter was amazed, "We need help. I hope you can forgive us if we ask Matt and Claire for help."  
After Mary had reported sick the next morning at school, Lindsay called Claire and asked for help. First, she apologized because she had reacted so repellent when Claire reported about Matt. Then she told what had happened on the farm in the last few days and Claire listened attentively. "Claire, we need help," Lindsay finally finished her story, "I… We would be very grateful if you and Matt help us... I don´t know how, but...", her voice failed and Connor, who was sitting next to her, grabbed her hand and held it comforting.  
"Matt would like to see the farm," Claire's voice rang through the phone, "Can we meet at the farm at 11 p.m.?"

It was a scary feeling to return to the farm, but in daylight the area looked much safer than at night. Peter looked at the horse, because today the vet wanted to see Nancy again, while Connor, Lindsay and Mary were waiting for Claire and Matt in the kitchen. Peter had decided to avoid Claire. This morning he had met Ana Carmichael, who had noticed the night-time visit. She asked anxiously if everything was ok and Peter told her what happened last night. Ana listened to him very understandingly and after they had finished their conversation, Lindsay remarked Ana seemed to be very nice and Peter took note of that. He really liked Ana, but that wasn´t Lindsay´s business.  
Claire and Matt arrived at the farm in time at 11 p.m.  
"So you're Matt," Lindsay said very cautious and shook Matt's hand, "I'm Lindsay. This is my husband Connor and that´s my daughter Mary."  
"Yes, I´m Matt," he agreed, "Claire said, you and your family are haunted by aliens..."  
Connor nodded: "Claire certainly reported what happened so far...", he watched how Matt nodded as well. He walked through the kitchen and looked around. He looked out the window, from where he had a fabulous view on the Mystery Mountain. Matt even looked at the photos on the fridge. "You took a picture of a cake?", Matt asked incredulously.  
"This is my daughters´ first birthday cake," Lindsay answered. HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, CHRISTINA was standing on the cake in large, colorful frosting-letters. "Why did you leave the farm last night in a hurry?", he asked.  
"I had a dream something terrible happens to my family if..."  
"That means we are here because Mary had a horrible dream?", Matt looked at Connor and Mary, "Sounds pretty crazy."  
"You don´t believe me," Mary noticed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "I know, you would do that!" She was disappointed that Matt didn´t believe her. He was quite different than Peter.  
"Are there any evidences?"  
"Ask the Vet", Mary replied, "Dr. Johnston can explain everything. By chance he is outside the barn to examine the horse." She got up and walked out to the barn. She realized the unpleasant smell again and the vet was already checking Nancy status. "How is she today?", Mary asked and Dr. Johnston looked at her doubtfully, when he took the head of an ultrasound gadget on Nancy's belly. "Can you tell me where Nancy's foal is?"  
"Pardon!", Mary was shocked and she came to the vet so she could see the ultrasound monitor. She couldn´t hardly believe what she saw and he was right: There was no foal in Nancy´s belly.

"Dad, Am I crazy?", Mary asked in the evening. Matt and Claire left the farm hours ago and of course Matt wasn´t sure what to say. Claire, however, persuaded him to place at least some surveillance cameras on the estate. Matt didn´t believe in this idea: He had heard that video cameras mostly didn´t work when it came to activities by aliens (for the case Claire was right). Claire hoped, however, so they were at least able to see when Nancy was abducted in the night. She didn´t expect she saw on the video tapes how an alien spacecraft circled in dark night over the house of the Doyle family. Claire had no idea how she would react to such a shocking and disturbing picture because it also brought the question of what happened after that. And why it happened...  
"You're not crazy. I think you're a very responsible, trustworthy young woman."  
"Thanks, Dad. But probably all fathers say this to their daughters... What will happen now after Nancy's foal is gone without a trace?", Mary was very worried because her parents apparently wanted to spend the night on the farm. In daylight she felt safe here, in the night she felt like to be at the aliens´ mercy and she was scared they would come back again.  
"We don´t know," her mother admitted, who sat now tired next to Mary´s father. She wrapped her arms around her exhausted husband, "Your father and I were already talking about moving away if it is necessary... We know this is not easy for you because it means you have to change school again... We probably have to sell Nancy or we leave her at the farm... Maybe it is sufficient if we move into an apartment in the city and look after the horse... I don´t know what to do." Lindsay shook her head helplessly and Connor squeezed her hand affectionately.  
"I understand", Mary answered, "It´s important we´re safe." Mary thought it was time to prove to her parents that she was a responsible and trustworthy young woman, like her father said, and she thanked them they at least wanted to think twice about moving away. Changing home again wasn´t Mary´s wish.  
With a queasy feeling she went to bed and she heard how her parents were looking for her little sisters in the room next door and after that they went to bed. The last days were also horrible for them: Mary heard her parents talking last night at Peter's apartment and Lindsay thanked Connor he was with her in this difficult time. He then told he only did it for her, because he loved her so much and then he kissed her hand.  
Mary hoped she was able to sleep tonight. It was an uncomfortable night on Peter's couch and she couldn´t stand another one. She wondered, if the events of the recent days should really have an extra-terrestrial origin, why Big Red had to die and how Nancy had come to her foal and where it had disappeared. There were so many questions to which she had no answer. The main question was, why all this happened.  
And she knew sometimes it was better to have no answer.  
With today's night the frightening occurrences on the estate of the Doyle family were over.

_You're from a whole other world _  
_a different dimension _  
_you open my eyes _  
_and I'm ready to go, lead me into the light _

_Kiss me, kiss me _  
_infect me with your love and fill me with your poison _  
_take me, take me _  
_want to be your victim, ready for abduction _  
_oh, you're an alien, your touch so far away _  
_its supernatural, extraterrestrial _("ET" By Katy Perry)

Fin


	8. Mystery Room

Title: Mystery Room  
Author: Dancing Star  
Pairing: Connor / Lindsay  
Category: AU  
Summaries: Mary finds an abandoned alien baby and takes the helpless creature to her home.  
Comments: Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to me! :-)

**Mystery Room**

A dark shadow cast over Connors and Lindsay's bed. Both were slumbering peacefully when a figure stepped to his side and woke him.  
"Dad," Mary whispered, "Come on, it´s time for the horse market in Bailey." In the neighboring town a horse market was held today and because Mary's parents planned to buy a new horse they wanted to go there.  
Connor blinked and squinted at the digital clock. It was exactly 04:23 a.m. and his daughter stood beside his bed fully dressed.  
"Do you have any idea what time it is?... Go back to bed..." With these words he turned to Lindsay and Mary decided, to ask her mother.  
"Mom," she began, "We wanted to go to Bailey now but Dad doesn´t want to."  
"It's almost night...", she muttered and fell asleep again. Mary was disappointed and slunk away. She would try her luck again at breakfast. After all, Connor had promised to visit the horse market with the family.

"Good morning, Mystery! It's weekend and it ´s going to be a beautiful day today, too! We expect temperatures to 68° Fahrenheit! Top story of the day is an about 40 yards high iceberg, which was seen off the coast of Brooklyn. Climate scientists believe this ... ", the voice on the radio shouted and Connor turned around. It was time to wake up and take care of the animals. But first he had to wake Lindsay and so he got up and pulled the blinds up. The room was immediately flooded with sunlight and Lindsay tried to hide under the pillow. When she didn´t want to get up he crawled to her under the blanket to warm himself at her a little.  
"Come on... You have to get up", he murmured softly, "I promised Mary we´d visit the horse market in Bailey. Are you coming with us?"  
"Of course I'm coming with you...", she murmured.  
"Fine," Connor suddenly got up, "Then I get Mary's birthday gift and we meet in Bailey later."  
Lindsay was persuaded and so she finally got Christina and Leah out of their beds.  
A little later, after breakfast, they were actually in the car to drive to Bailey, Connor would catch up in a few minutes.  
But on the way they were caught in a traffic jam. "Wonderful," Mary said very enthusiastic, "Apparently we aren´t the only ones who had the idea to visit Bailey today. We should have come here at 04:30 a.m."  
"Mary!", Lindsay warned.  
"Where is Dad?"  
"He has an appointment," her mother replied. Mary shouldn´t know that her Dad could pick up her birthday gift only today. Mary, Lindsay and the two little girls hadn´t to wait a long time and fortunately they reached Bailey half an hour later and they met Connor in the parking lot in front of a large riding stable where the horse market was held.  
"Hi honey," Lindsay said when she saw Connor.  
"Hi Dad," Mary tried to sound not too reproachfully, "How was your appointment?"  
"Very well... Would you go to my trunk and get something?"  
"And for what exactly am I searching?"  
"You'll see when you are there."  
"All right," she relented, rolled her eyes and went to the trunk. She opened the car door and saw a black dog. "Dad, here´s a dog and...", Mary didn´t understand what the dog wanted in her father´s car.  
"This is your birthday present, at least one of them," Connor said, "Your mother and I have chosen him, when you were in school."  
The dog jumped out of the car and hopped excitedly around Mary. She seemed to like the new family member. "What's his name?" Mary said.  
"At the shelter they said his name is Barry."  
"Barry?", Mary asked excited and the dog wagged his tail. Connor was relieved: Actually, the lady at the shelter told the dog´s name was Mac and Connor was concerned Mary remembered McBeth immediately.  
"Let´s go," Lindsay said, "Finally you wanted to come here." Together with the children and their new dog, they passed a few people who wore cowboy hats on their heads. The men tried to put saddles on some bulls and wild horses in some small boxes and Mary had to take her dog on a leash.  
"I didn´t know there is also a rodeo," Lindsay was surprised and Christina who was sitting on Connors arm pointed to a black horse. One of the bulls in the pen bucked and Christina's eyes widened. "Let's go to the grandstand and watch for a while?", Mary asked and her parents didn´t seem to mind. So they looked for a place in the stands, watching the rodeo for a while and eating hot dogs. Then they went to the horses that were for sale. First they looked at a black horse.  
"Does she have a name?" Connor asked when he was looking at a mare. The black horse was tall and strong.  
"Her name is Lily," the dealer said, an old man in a suit and with a husky voice.  
"That´s not a very creative name," Mary added. And just as the retailer looked like he hadn´t been sitting on the back of a horse in his entire life.  
"Come Mary, let´s walk a little bit," Lindsay suggested and pushed Leah's stroller away from the horses. Christina followed her Mommy and Mary came to them only reluctantly. Mary asked if her Mom thought it was right to leave her Dad alone and choose a horse. Lindsay nodded. "He'll know what he's doing."  
While Lindsay bought an ice cream for Christina, Mary was watching her Dad. He spoke to the dealer and finally he shook hands with him. "Dad bought the black horse," Mary informed her mother, "Now we can give her a nice name. The correct name is ultimately important."  
Connor came to them now. "We can pick up our new horse tomorrow," he told and Mary asked: "Can I then give her a nice name?"

Connor picked up the new horse the next day, after Mary had come home from school. Mary had formally insisted to be there when the new horse came home because she wanted to give the animal a new name. Her Dad had asked in the car she shouldn´t choose names like Black Beauty (otherwise she could give the mare every imaginable name) and Mary had told this name wasn´t in her mind.  
"Can I take Starlight for a ride?", Mary asked, when her Dad took the horse from the trailer and Connor couldn´t believe that he had actually allowed that name.  
"First she should relax a little bit and get used to Nancy and her new home," Connor disagreed and took the mare into the stable. Mary didn´t like this reply at all, but she realized her Dad was right. "May I take her for a ride later? Pearl comes over with her horse."  
"Since when have you been friends with Pearl Carmichael?", her mother asked, Mary turned to her. Lindsay and Christina came out of the house to welcome the new family member. The horse stretched his head towards them curiously, Christina patted the mare's forehead and Lindsay fed her with a carrot.  
Actually, Mary didn´t like the daughter of their neighbors very much. Erin was her best friend, but after Erin's horse had died, she left four weeks ago to a boarding school in New England. She apologized to Mary, saying she couldn´t stand her home longer and left. She didn´t call, she didn´t send Mary e-mails, not even a birthday card. Since then, Mary was forced to make friends with Pearl. All other friends lived on the other side of town or in the suburbs. Many friends didn´t own horses and so only Pearl was left.  
"We have a new horse," Mary told a little later, when her new friend reached the farm, "Her name is Starlight and Dad had bought her in Bailey yesterday."  
"She's beautiful," Pearl had to admit and petted the black horse.  
"Let's go," Mary suggested and got the bridle ready for Starlight.  
"Isn´t Nancy jealous if you take your new horse for a ride?", Pearl asked.  
"No." Mary stated that Starlight was really very mannerly. Yesterday at dinner, Mary had asked her father if he thought it was wise to buy a horse he hadn´t even ridden before. After all, it could turn out the horse might was a monster. Mary was the first person that ever rode on Starlight´s back and she hoped she wouldn´t experience any unpleasant surprises.  
"She isn´t only pretty, she is also very mannerly," Pearl said when Mary sat in Starlights saddle. Together they rode through the forest and talked about the school and the essay, they had to write until next week when Pearl discovered something strange under a tree. "What's that?", she asked and stopped her horse, a brown mare. She dismounted.  
"Looks like eggshells," Pearl said, "Here is mucus in it... I don´t know a bird which nests on the floor." More accurately Pearl knew no animal in this area, which gave birth to its offspring in eggs. In addition, there wasn´t even a nest and if she thought about the size of the eggs, then the animal had to be as big as a cow or a horse.  
"I don´t think these are birds' eggs," Mary murmured and she had to hold her horse, so Starlight didn´t run away.  
"How do you know...?", Pearl turned around and saw a small, long-legged figure, with large black eyes and green skin, "My goodness, this is..."  
"An alien, I know." Mary remembered the last visit of the aliens. "Perhaps they forgotten this one," she suggested, although she found it made no sense. The last visit of the aliens was in February, now it was April. This would mean the small alien would have spent two months in the forest. "Perhaps it´s born recently," Mary thought, "We have to take it with us", she suddenly said, holding out his hand to the little creature, "We can´t leave it alone. It´s still a baby and would die soon."  
"We? I can´t take care of it, I share a room with my sister. She would get a shock!"  
"Oh, don´t worry," Mary reassured her friend, "We can hide the alien at my home and we both can take care... How about a name?"  
"Then we need a name that is possible for a boy and a girl," Pearl said, "I can´t see if it's a male or female being."  
Mary thought. "How about Jamie?... Or Robin or Sam for Samantha or Samuel? "  
"I like Sam best," Pearl agreed.  
"Then your name is Sam now," Mary said to the alien creature and it actually put its hand in hers. Sam's hands were dry and cold. "Come, let´s take you home. There, you're safe."

"Hi Dad!", Mary cried at night, when she entered the house, followed by Pearl and the two teens quickly went up the stairs. They carried Sam into the house, wrapped in a blanket because it was too cold to leave him with the horses in the barn. "Hey Mary", Connor welcomed her out of the kitchen, "How was your day with Starbucks?"  
"Her name is Starlight," Mary said. She and Pearl brought Sam into her room and told the little creature should stay there until they returned. Mary doubted, however, that Sam understood what she said at all.  
"Just kidding," Connor apologized and the girls heard a rattling noise, "Pearl, you want to stay for dinner?"  
"No, thank you," Pearl cried to him and to Mary she spoke more softly: "Your father will probably realize on the spot if I'm lying... See you tomorrow in school."  
Pearl left and Mary decided to join her father and her sisters in the kitchen. It smelled burnt and Barry hopped around Connor excitedly.  
"Dad, you can´t cook at all," Mary complained while she sat down at the table, "How did you survive without Mom?"  
Lindsay was now in Mystery to see a doctor and Connor was at home alone with the children. He should cook a warm meal and it was more difficult than expected because he couldn´t decide what the kids and he should have for dinner. Finally, he chose pasta with tomato sauce.  
"Why can´t I cook?", Connor asked sulkily and checked the sauce and the pasta again. It tasted acceptable. His charred steaks didn´t taste good, he had to admit, but at least their new dog was full up.  
"You need a bib," with these words, Connor tied a large yellow fabric around Christina´s neck. He knew how much she liked making a mess. After they had eaten the noodles, Christina looked awful: She had used her fingers instead of cutlery and now her palms and her mouth were very red. "You look terrible," Connor muttered and freed her from the bib. Connor took Leah to bed and then Christina. Christina sobbed when her Dad picked her up from the living room floor, where she played with her dolls.  
Connor put his daughter into bed but hadn´t expected she would begin to cry. He couldn´t bear to hear his baby crying like this and so he picked her up again and sat with her on the sofa.  
"Shall we watch TV?", he asked his daughter and she nodded. They watched _The Simpsons_, Christina giggled occasionally and after a while she was asleep besides her father. She was dozing when Lindsay came home and snuggled next to Connor on the couch. "What did the doctor say?", he asked her when she closed her eyes.  
"Oh, I have a terrible cold."  
At that moment Mary came down the stairs and saw her mother sitting on the couch. "Hey Mom, how are you?"  
Lindsay repeated what the doctor had said to her and then Mary asked: "What about watching _Independence Day_?"  
"Didn´t we have had enough aliens recently?", Connor wanted to know.  
"Yes," Mary said, "But I like Will Smith... or what about _Men in Black_?"  
"This isn´t much better," Lindsay chuckled, "Why don´t you invite Pearl for cinema? I heard, Titanic is great."  
"I guess that´s the revenge because I forgot to pick up Mary and Pearl from school last Friday", Connor said.  
"Father of the year is here again." Lindsay rolled her eyes.  
"Hey, it wasn´t my fault! I had a flat tire on the way to Mystery", Connor handed his wife a cup of tea. "Incidentally, I have discovered the perfect solution to snuff," Lindsay told, "Wasabi crisps."  
"I'm taking some crisps to my room," Mary poured some crisps in the bowl and ignored her mother´s warnings the crisps were very sharp. Mary hurried back to her room. She hoped Sam would like the crisps.

"Here is a cup of tea", Connor said to his wife next morning, "And your medicine."  
"Thanks, that's very sweet of you. You'd be a great doctor", Lindsay coughed, then she sneezed, "I noticed that Mary spends little time with her new dog... Do you think the dog was the right gift?" She was sitting on the couch when the door bell rang and Connor told her he would answer. As it turned out, it was Peter. "Good morning, everybody," Peter was apparently in high spirits.  
"Good morning," Lindsay was coughing, "Shouldn´t you be working?"  
Peter worked since several weeks at the University of Denver. He had to drive by car every morning for about an hour to reach his job as a geologist, but in Mystery he hadn´t the opportunity to get a job.  
"This is my day off," Peter said, "Actually I came to show something to you and Connor."  
Peter and Connor were talking in the kitchen and because Lindsay was curious, she also came to them. Peter showed Connor a tiny box, which was covered with red velvet. Inside the box was a ring. "I'm already married," Connor apologized, "To my wonderful wife."  
Lindsay laughed and coughed at the same time.  
"It's not for you," Peter rolled his eyes, put the box back into his jacket pocket, "I think I'm going to ask Ana if she wants to marry me."  
"Really?", Connor asked, "This is a serious step."  
"Said the man who asked me spontaneously on a cruise ship, if I want to marry him," Lindsay muttered. She knew Peter and Ana Carmichael dated for about two months. Ana even had been there when Peter was celebrating his birthday. The two lived together for already three weeks. So Lindsay assumed there was a serious relationship, but she didn´t guessed Peter wanted to ask Ana if she wanted to marry him after two month.  
"I think you should ask Ana," Connor said.  
"You don´t think it´s too fast?", Lindsay was Connor's conscience, but apparently Peter was very pleased with the opinion of his best friend and he ignored her comment. "Is there a reason why you want to get married so fast?", Lindsay asked.  
"Why do I need a reason because I want to marry her?", Peter asked.  
"Well, I had a reason for marring you", Connor said and was looking at his wife, "I married you because of the short, sexy skirts you always wore."  
"Thank you, honey", she tried to said seriously but a smile crossed her face.  
"I'm going to ask Ana next weekend," Peter told, "I reserved a table at a fancy restaurant and I call you immediately if she said yes."  
"IF she says yes," Lindsay repeated in a skeptical tone.  
At that moment, Mary entered the kitchen. After Sam hadn´t eaten the crisps yesterday evening, she had hoped she could now get some yogurt and milk from the fridge unobserved. The fact that her parents and her uncle were here wouldn´t spare her a few questions and so she decided to bring Sam the food later. "Hi, Uncle Peter."  
"Why aren´t you in school?", Lindsay wanted to know.  
"And what about your essay?", Connor agreed, "You told me you have to write about the person you admire most... About whom will you write?"  
"I don´t know yet," Mary admitted, "I haven´t even started writing." That wasn´t even a lie, because Mary had no idea who she admired most. Of course, she admired her parents for their hard work during OSIR but she couldn´t possibly write an essay about the fact the Bermuda Triangle was really dangerous, or that aliens really existed. All of her classmates, except Pearl, would believe she was crazy.  
"If it's okay, I´ll go to school," Mary said, took an apple from the fruit basket and left.

In the evening, Lindsay felt better and she decided to cook dinner for her family. She opened the fridge. "Connor is where the fish?",she asked. She remembered that yesterday there was a fish in the refrigerator and Connor replied he hadn´t taken the fish.  
"But if you don´t have the fish and I don´t have it, too... Who does it?"  
"Perhaps Mary has taken the fish," Connor suggested, "Maybe she needs it for a school project... _Feed the bears_ or something..."  
Lindsay rolled her eyes and laughed about his remark. When she had no fish, she decided to make a Casserole, but the meat was gone, too. "We'd better call the pizza service," Lindsay muttered and slammed the refrigerator door. She didn´t know that Mary had actually taken the fish and the meat and was trying to feed Sam. But Sam didn´t like the fish and the meat and looked at the two girls with big eyes. Impatient clicks escaped Sam's throat and Mary and Pearl assumed this was his way of communicating.  
"What shall we do?", Mary wanted to know from her friend Pearl, "Sam will starve."  
"Maybe he doesn´t like raw meat and you have to cook," Pearl suggested, "Come on, I'll help you. My mother showed me some tricks in the kitchen."  
Mary took Sam on her arm, Pearl took the food. Together they went downstairs, but when they saw Lindsay in the kitchen, Pearl was the first who turned on her heel. "Do you have a kitchen in the barn?", she asked as she took Mary's arm.  
"Yes, but it´s old and...", Mary wanted to argue that her father could probably see them from his office when the light in the barn was turned on.  
The kitchen in the barn was really old and less modern than the kitchen in the house. Pearl was looking for a pan and finally she roasted the meat and the fish in the same pan. "Is there something I can use for frying meat?", Pearl asked and answered her own question, when she reached for a bottle which was labeled with "Nancy". The bottle was flaxseed oil. Pearl cooked for Sam a delicious-smelling food but he also didn´t like it.  
"Sam didn´t like the crisps", Mary admitted frustrated, "He also didn´t like milk, yogurt, fish or meat".  
"But what does Sam like?"  
"I don´t know. Maybe Sam is only eating if the mother offers the food."  
"Is that normal for babies?"  
"I don´t think so," Mary recalled she or her father had no problems to feed Leah and Christina when they were very little, "We should ask someone who knows about babies."

Lindsay picked Leah from her bed and hugged her tightly. The little girl coughed and sneezed and Lindsay also feared she had infected her with her cold. She noted how Mary walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. "Mom, can I ask you a question?"  
"Of course."  
"How do you teach a baby to eat what you offer?", When Mary´s question was out, Lindsay looked at her baby with big eyes. "That's a pretty strange question," Lindsay was talking to Leah instead of Mary.  
"I only want to know because...", Mary was looking desperately for an excuse, "Um, because... because..."  
"All right, you don´t need to tell me any story to justify your question," Lindsay said finally, "Actually, you can´t force a baby to eat something. The reason why babies cry is hunger… or the diaper."  
Mary nodded. The crying thing didn´t work with Sam. "What, if a baby doesn´t like what you offer?"  
"Because babies drink only milk in the early month, that's pretty unlikely," Lindsay said and her daughter nodded, "Is everything all right? Your father saw a light in the barn last night..."  
"Yes, everything is okay. Pearl and I only visited the horses." Mary thought about her friend, who hopefully smuggled Sam in the meantime back into her room. Then Pearl wanted to go home and when Mary went upstairs, Sam was sitting on her bed alone and staring at her curiously.

"Mary is behaving very strangely lately," Lindsay told at breakfast. Peter and Ana visited her and Connor and of course both had to swear before they wouldn´t tell Ana about the planned marriage proposal.  
"Mary asks weird questions about babies and I've noticed that food is disappearing from the refrigerator lately," Lindsay said, while she rocked Leah on her arm.  
"Maybe Mary is pregnant," Ana suspected and Lindsay was shocked, "Let's see it in their room, if there is any evidence."  
"What evidence do you think we´ll find?", Lindsay didn´t believe there were books about babies or pregnancy tests in her daughter's room. Nevertheless, they went upstairs and because Mary was in school, there was no problem to search the room. But the door was locked. "Something else that's weird," Lindsay added with Leah on her arm, "Recently, she locks the door to her room."  
"That's really mysterious", Ana agreed. They had no idea Sam was sitting on the other side of the wooded door with big saucer eyes when he heard their voices.  
"Let´s talk to Connor," Ana suggested, they got their jackets, because it was a little chilly out there. "Come on Christina, we visit Daddy," Lindsay held out her hand to Christina and the little girl hurried to come to her Mom with her doll.  
They made their way to the north pasture. There, Peter helped Connor to cut down an old tree. Starlight whinnied when she saw the visitors and Leah and Christina petted the soft nose of the horse. Leah laughed.  
"Today it´s the first time she´s laughing," Lindsay stated and Connor took Christina on his arm. Of course, he also noticed Leah's stuffy nose. "That's very nice you´re visiting me, but you'd better go inside."  
When Leah heard his voice, she smiled at him and Lindsay looked at Connor: "We should talk."  
Her husband was confused. "About what?", he asked.  
"Not about each another", Lindsay corrected him, "We should have a word with our fourteen-year-old daughter, who locks her room and asks me weird questions about babies." Because his wife sounded worried, Connor realized she was right. They decided to talk to Mary after school.

"I'm home!", Mary yelled at noon and threw her bag on the steps. She just wanted quickly go into the kitchen and grab a sandwich. Then she wanted to see Sam.  
"We need to talk," a voice said and Mary saw her parents sitting on the couch, looking at her seriously.  
"What's wrong with you lately?", Lindsay wanted to know from her daughter, "Why do you act so strange?"  
"I... There´s something I need to tell you...", Mary thought feverishly, if she should tell her parents, but they had already begun being suspected.  
"Are you kicked out of school?", Connor asked.  
"No."  
"Did you hit someone with my car?"  
"No, I can´t even drive a car!"  
"Oh God," Lindsay suddenly said, "Are you pregnant?" She thought she was too young to be at her grandmother.  
"No," Mary exclaimed, "I... I... You have to meet someone." Mary went back to her room (as she realized caused lots of chaos there but she decided to ignore this for now) and two minutes later she returned with a small green figure in her arm. Lindsay sat up on the couch and looked at her husband stunned. She wanted to say something, but didn´t know what.  
"His ... or her name is Sam," Mary explained, "Pearl and I found Sam a few days in the woods and I took him or her home, because Sam was alone and had no chance of survival."  
"Well, I don´t know what to say, but..."  
"I'm sorry," her daughter called, "I know I should have told you about Sam, but I was afraid you´d sent Sam away."  
"Where does Sam come from?", Connor wanted to know.  
"I think they forgotten Sam, when they were here for the last time in February," Mary continued, "Pearl and I found eggs in the woods and believe Sam is born recently. He is just a baby!" Now Lindsay understood the strange questions about babies. The food from the refrigerator was probably gone, because her daughter wanted to find out, what Sam was eating and the door to her room was locked so Lindsay and Connor couldn´t find Sam.  
"What happens to Sam now,?" Mary asked, "You won´t dismiss Sam, do you?"  
"No," when her dad said, she was relieved.

"Mom?", Mary was still very concerned because she hadn´t told her parents about Sam, "Are you and Dad angry that I hid Sam?"  
Lindsay was standing with Leah on her arm in the door to Mary's room. Sam and Barry sat side by side on the bed and the dog tried to push the little aliens.  
"No. I know your Dad and I can say he isn´t angry," Lindsay said and with her baby she also sat down on the bed. She sent Barry out and Sam followed him. He probably believed Barry's insistence was an invitation to play. Since Sam could now move in the entire house, he was freed.  
"I would have done the same," her Mom suddenly said, "I wouldn´t have left Sam alone in the forest alone... No matter what happened in the past."  
"Do you think they will come and pick him up again? Do you think his Mom will miss him?"  
"I don´t know," Lindsay replied after both fell backwards onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, "I have no idea if Sam has a mother who is capable of feelings."  
Leah tired to climb over Lindsay's chest to get at the toy dog on the other side of the bed. "Mom?", Mary suddenly asked, "Can Sam stay with us?"  
"Of course, Sam can stay with us." Lindsay was sure that Mary wanted to ask what they would do if Sam´s mother wouldn´t pick up the little alien again.  
"Thanks, Mom."  
As soon as Lindsay had left her room with Leah, Mary decided to write the essay. She glanced at Sam and Barry, who had come back in and were now resting side by side on the bed. "The people I admire the most," Mary read her first few lines, "These are my parents. The two have a good heart and I can always count on them..." At that moment, Mary was interrupted. Her little sister Christina should go to bed. "No, Mommy," she complained and Mary heard her running down the hall.  
"Stay where you are, Christina!" Lindsay cried after her. At that moment, Connor also came to them. "Hey, you have a cute pajama," he said to his daughter and Christina laughed. He took her in his arms and carried Christina back to her room.  
"Hey, can you be a little bit quieter? I must write an essay for school!", Mary yelled. With the piece of paper in her hand, she stood in the door and Connor took the essay.  
"My family consists of nine members," he read and couldn´t remember to have seven children, "My Mom, my Dad, my two little sisters, me, our dog Barry, our horses Nancy and Starlight and a little creature named Sam."  
"What´s the topic again?", Lindsay asked and smiled at Connor. They managed to get Christina to bed and when they left her room Connor asked Mary again if she really wanted to mention Sam in the essay. Then Mary said Sam belonged to the family. Finally they didn´t know how long he would stay.

Sam became a member of the family and finally the weekend approached. On Saturday night, Lindsay was excited because today was the day when Peter invited his girlfriend Ana for dinner and wanted to ask her if she wanted to marry him. She was curious to hear what Ana would say. Peter had promised he would call them immediately if he knew Ana's answer, but the phone was silent. Why did it take so long? With Leah in her arms Lindsay walked around the couch for the thousandth time and Connor was looking after her. "You won´t help us if you're getting nervous," he said and she sat down beside him.  
"I told him to call us if he asked her," Lindsay recalled and looked at Mary, who played with Christina and Sam was watching them interested. "How does a pig sound?", Mary asked and Christina pressed a button that looked like a pink pig. The toy then grunted.  
The phone rang and suddenly everyone was on its feet. Lindsay watched anxiously when Connor accepted the call. "Yes, it's me... Okay... I tell them ...", then he hung up and turned to his wife and his eldest daughter.  
"You two look very stressed, you know that?", He finally shook his head and said, "She said yes."  
Lindsay and Mary hugged and rejoiced very stormy.  
"By the way Peter said we can join them at the restaurant," Connor added. He noted that Christina was standing beside him and looked at them in confusion. She didn´t understand why her Mommy and her sister were over the moon. "Really?", Lindsay asked, "Then let´s go immediately." She went upstairs and took Leah out of the crib. Meanwhile, Connor helped his daughter getting dressed in a jacket. He asked Lindsay if Christina's blue pajama printed with cupcakes and a jacket warmed the child at these temperatures sufficiently and his wife nodded.  
They put the kids in the car and let Barry into the garden (when he was alone in the house Lindsay complained about the dog hair on her furniture). Mary said goodbye to Sam, who also had to stay at home.

When they came back three hours later, Barry was barking hysterically in front of the terrace door. "What´s wrong with Barry?", Connor asked and Christina raised her head wearily on his arm, "Usually, he isn´t behaving like this..."  
"Sam," Mary exclaimed suddenly, "Sam?... Where are you, Sam? Sam?... Sam!" Mary ran through the house and when Lindsay noticed the little alien was not there, she helped Mary finding him.  
"He's not here, Mom!", Mary cried.  
"Maybe he ran away," Connor tried to reassure her, but he knew it wasn´t true. All windows and doors of the house were locked when they returned at that late hour.  
They knew exactly what had happened or where Sam was: With them.

Fin


	9. Mystery Days

Title: Mystery Days  
Author: DancingStar  
Pairing: Connor/ Lindsay, Peter/ Ana  
Rating: 12  
Summaries: Something´s wrong in the Doyle family…  
Comments: Hope you had a nice summer!

**Mystery Days**

With a strange feeling Lindsay pushed her blanket aside. It was Saturday morning and the sun was shining in her face. She would have slept a little longer, but being awake was also a plus: She could spend a little time with Connor. She stretched her arm out to him and realized he wasn´t next to her. Suddenly she was really awake and sitting up in bed.  
This was already the third time in this week. Meanwhile she didn´t believe he fact he got up so early and left the house for jogging. There had to be another reason. The last phone bill had made her suspicious: Since one week he called several times a day a number in Mystery. He also bought new shirts in a discount shop a few days ago. She accidentally found the bills and assumed he didn´t want her to see the old shirts. He probably took the shirts to a laundry shop or he threw it away immediately. He also didn´t spend as much time with the kids as before.  
Lindsay had to figure out what was going on.  
With her right arm, she reached for her robe, put it on and crept downstairs. She was lucky: He was in the kitchen and poured cereals into a bowl. Lindsay wanted to say good morning when the phone rang at that moment. Without turning around, he answered.  
She couldn´t hear what the caller at the other end of the line said. Sometimes Connor thanked the caller. Suddenly he said: "... Don´t worry, my wife doesn´t know about it... Yes, she has no idea... Of course I'm sure."  
Her heart skipped a beat. Lindsay turned around and walked back up the stairs a bit. She needed a moment to realize what he had just said on the phone. Everything was suddenly clear: the clothes which were missing, the high phone bill and the fact that he suddenly disappeared regularly. He had an affair.  
"Oh God", she thought desperately and retched. For one moment she was dizzy and tears glistened in her eyes. She thought about her children.  
Then she got up and wanted to go into the kitchen and ask him. "Connor," she began. She had decided to hold her nerve.  
"Good morning, sweetheart," he said to her with a beaming smile and reached for the coffee pot. He put it on the table.  
"Good... Good…, "she stammered when he was standing in front of her and gave her a sweet, almost defiant kiss.  
"I'm sorry, by the way, I got up so early: I couldn´t sleep."  
Actually she couldn´t believe this.  
"I have to leave immediately because I have an appointment today."  
"Connor, it´s Saturday", she disagreed with arms crossed over her stomach.  
"I know, but there was no alternative." He kissed her again and asked her to forgive him. Then he grabbed the car keys and drove away. Lindsay was now alone at home.

At the same time Ana was searching for her apartment key in her purse. She and Peter were a couple since three month now and they also lived together. One month ago he asked her if she wanted to marry him. Last night they spent their first night in their new apartment which was bigger than the old one. "What do you want for lunch today?", Peter asked who was looking for a pot in a box.  
"I don´t know, maybe...", before Ana could continue speaking the phone rang, "Wait, I'm on the phone…. Hello?", she asked. She had no idea who was calling.  
"Hi. It´s Lindsay."  
"Why are you crying? Did something happen?"  
"No... Yes... I don´t know... Ana, I know I shouldn´t have called... You´re still busy with the new apartment... But you're my friend and... I think Connor is cheating on me."  
"What!? Are you sure?"  
"There are too many evidences... I don´t know what to do."  
"Shall I come over?", Of course Peter had heard what his girlfriend had said. He wondered what had happened.  
"I... I...", Lindsay stammered on the other side of the line.  
"Don´t talk back. I'm on my way to you."

Ana came by the same day. Connor was a little bit confused when she suddenly stood in front of him and even Peter didn´t seem to know why they were here, but he was sure he would figure out yet. Without saying a word, Ana rushed past Connor.  
"What's wrong with her?", Connor asked helplessly and Peter shrugged his shoulders.  
"No idea, but it sounded seriously when she was talking to Lindsay on the phone." Peter also entered the house. Meanwhile, Ana was looking for Lindsay.  
"She's out there in the garden, if you are looking for my wife," Connor said and still without a word, Ana dashed out into the garden. Lindsay hadn´t seen her immediately, but when she did, she asked Ana for coming with her. She explained how glad she was to see her finally.  
"Now tell me everything," Ana began, "What makes you think, he.." No, even the idea was so absurd that Ana couldn´t imagine.  
Lindsay made sure no one could hear their conversation and when they arrived at the end of the garden and had a clear view of the city, they sat down on an old bench.  
"He... He tells me he´s out for jogging in the early morning, but I know it isn´t true. He´s calling a number in Mystery since weeks and the worst thing is: When he talks to this person, he always says I don´t know about this conversations. I know I react pretty hysterical, but..."  
"No, no. That's okay... I can´t imagine Connor would do that... I mean you wanted a fourth baby."  
"At the moment I don´t even know if he wants it, too," Lindsay swallowed hard and Ana nodded, although she didn´t want to.  
"I know what will cheer you up," Ana got up and stretched her arms excited, "After Peter and I decided to get married I started planning that event and meanwhile all guests know. I called them this morning. Peter and I will get married in a few days in your garden."  
"You should have asked before inviting all the people!"  
"You see, my distraction is working! Come on, it´ll be a nice wedding and the weather in June will be perfect." She hoped she cheered up Lindsay now. At least her friend wasn´t thinking about… No, Ana couldn´t understand why Connor was doing this!  
Together, they went back into the house.

In the evening, Connor still didn´t know the reasons for Ana´s sudden visit. She and Peter had invited him and Lindsay in a posh restaurant in town (Mary promised she would take care about her sisters at home. Of course she still thought about Sam and she was worried about him, too). Connor thought there was something to celebrate. Finally Ana reached with a grin on her face for Peter's hand.  
"Connor, did we already tell you the news about our wedding?", Peter asked eagerly.  
"Yes, I have news for you... Well, Lindsay already knows, "Ana began and Peter wrinkled his nose: "What does she already now?" Actually Peter wanted to tell Connor they had found a date for the wedding but he had no idea, his girlfriend already invited friends and family.  
"It´s a dream to get married here... with beautiful views of the Mystery Mountain... In a summer garden… I told you so."  
"That sounds good," Connor said at last and Ana cheerfully told she had invited her whole family. "If you don´t mind."  
"Why should I mind?", Connor asked.  
"Because the wedding is taking place in your garden."  
Connor nearly swallowed his drink. "You should have asked first!"  
"I already heard that before," she held out her glass to them, "Cheers to a good time." They enjoyed the evening and after dinner they wanted to go home. But for Ana the evening wasn´t ending: She tugged her friends and her fiancé in a bar and there they began to order a drink after another. Connor had agreed to be the driver, so he was drinking a glass of water a little bit disappointed.  
During driving home, Ana giggled incessantly the whole time and even Lindsay stumbled a bit. Connor had never seen her drunk.  
He gently helped her to sit at the passenger seat, while Peter and Ana crawled onto the backseat. "You know, honey...", Peter muttered to his girlfriend. Their driver left the main street and Connor discovered a police car in the mirror. He stopped his BMW on the right side of the road and rolled down the window. A policeman came up to his car and pulled out his flashlight. Then he stopped.  
"Good evening, Sir," the policeman said, "This is an alcohol control. Please turn off your engine, hand me your drivers´ license, ID and get out of the car."  
"First, show us your ID," Lindsay now demanded, "How else should we know you´re a real police officer?"  
"Of course, Ma'am. And I´ve bought the police car and uniform on Ebay", the man replied.  
Ana on the back seat laughed and although the narrowness in the car she was almost falling off the seat. Her laughter turned almost into the squeal of a zebra. Meanwhile, Connor and Lindsay got out. Lindsay stumbled more or less around the car, stopped next to Connor and watched his breathalyzer test. The instrument in the police officer´s hands beeped.  
"Zero blood alcohol level. You´re dismissed", the blond man said," Is she your wife, sir?"  
"I fear so." It was difficult for Connor to get Lindsay back into the car. The policeman wished them a pleasant evening and then went back to his car.  
The giggling in the car was becoming more and more and Connor was grateful when he finally said goodbye to Peter and Ana at their apartment. Then Connor and Lindsay drove home. Lindsay wanted to be carried to bed by him and he did what she wanted. "Connor, I want to go home," she murmured, when he carried her upstairs.  
"We ARE home, honey."  
Slowly he put her on the bed and pulled off her shoes. With a tug on his jacket, she pulled him to her and smiled. "Oh, it´s getting hot in here, sweetie", she smiled.  
"Lindsay, you're drunk."  
"I love you."  
"I know, but...", he was still mixed up when she kissed his neck. And she knew exactly how much he liked her in this short black dress she wore. She decided to use this plus.  
"Lindsay, don´t…"  
"What?", she sounded sadly, "You don´t think I'm pretty and sexy." She let him go, turned around and started crying.  
"That's not true. You're the most beautiful and dearest woman on earth", he could talk as much as he wanted but Lindsay didn´t listen. "Don´t leave me," she whimpered.  
"I won´t leave you," he promised her, but she was already asleep.

"Mom?", Mary asked the next day, very concerned when her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, "Mom, is everything okay? What are you looking at?"  
"These are your sisters´ baby photos," Lindsay replied and looked at the first family picture they had taken in a hospital in Hawaii, with Christina in their arms. She slammed the pink photo album. She didn´t want to show her that she was also looking at a photo of herself and Connor, on which they both looked very happy. It was the picture which was taken on the evening when she married him. On the photo they were also touching Lindsay´s belly because she was high pregnant back then.  
Mary thought her mother looked pale and ill. "Is something wrong?"  
"It's just ...", she shook her head. She didn´t want to burden her daughter with her problems.  
"Okay, I just wanted to ask if I can take the horses for a ride to the Lake. Maybe Nancy and Starlight would like swimming. The weather is hot enough and…"  
"It´s okay. Take the horses."  
"Mom, are you sure you´re fine?"  
"Yes… No…. I think your father...", she began and Mary came closer.  
"Is Dad ill?"  
"No, Mary, he isn´t ill. Actually I don´t want to tell you, but... But I'm afraid he´s cheating on me."  
"Oh Mom," Mary came over and hugged her mother, "Mom, I don´t believe this!" Mary had never seen two people who were more in love than her parents. She couldn´t believe what her mother told. "Hey, I've got a great idea: There is a new Café in Mystery, next door there´s a playground and the weather today is great. What do you think if we go there with Christina and Leah? Sounds good, right?"  
"Right," Lindsay whispered, "Let's go. I´m available."  
Mary enthusiastically pushed Leah's stroller outside and stashed it away in the car. Lindsay carried Leah on her arm and reached for her purse, when the phone rang.  
"Doyle Residence", she answered and registered a woman's voice at the other end of the line.  
"Hi, this is Mila. Is Connor there?"  
"No... He... He... is..."  
"It's okay. I´ll call again later."  
Lindsay heard a click and she wanted to tell the stranger she never should call but she didn´t. She couldn´t say anything. With the child in her arms she went out and put Leah in the car. During the drive she didn´t talk a single word to her daughter and Mary didn´t became suspicious. Only when they arrived at the Café and sat at the table Mary noticed her mothers´ tense expression. "Gosh, Mom, you look pale," she noted, "You should see a doctor."  
"Don´t worry, I'm fine...," Lindsay said with a dryly voice and she remembered Ana was saying the same. When Lindsay then replied everything was fine, she remembered what had Ana said on the phone this morning: "…Then you better kick your unfaithful husband out of your house or you'll get an ulcer if you keep your sorrow bottled up inside." But Lindsay knew, she wasn´t able to do this. She had three children. She couldn´t force Mary, Christina and Leah to live without their father. The three would miss him terribly.  
There was another pause. "Before we left, I had a call from a certain Mila", Lindsay suddenly told.  
"And?"  
"I don´t know someone named Mila. She asked for your father."  
Suddenly there was silence between the two. Even Mary seemed to be very uncomfortable about this.  
"I want you to help me," Lindsay suddenly said.  
"How?"  
"Proving something is wrong. We will go home and take a look into your Dad´s schedule."

Back home, they noticed Connor was busy trying to discuss something with Peter on the phone. So Lindsay and Mary began to search for the calendar in his office. They didn´t found it but Mary noted a business card. "Mila McConner. It´s her."  
Lindsay snatched the card out of her daughters´ hand and checked the address. The address was located in Mystery and it was the phone number that appeared for weeks on their phone bill. When Lindsay was still staring silently at the card, Mary asked, what they should do now.  
"Should we go after him? I've heard, he told Peter he has to drive to Mystery today."  
"Okay," she wearily sank into the office chair, "That´s what we´ll do."

As Mary had said that day Connor actually went to Mystery. First, they followed him into a supermarket and they noted the attention of some passers who wondered why they crept, heads down, between the shelves. Then they followed Connor to a hardware store where he bought a bucket of paint. "It's a waste of time," Mary said at some point, "He´s just shopping."  
"Maybe..."  
"Yes, maybe he does something forbidden... Driving a car, for example."  
"You think it´s a big joke, right?... In addition, you suggested... He´s parking!", Lindsay suddenly exclaimed and sat upright in the seat. They watched as Connor stopped his BMW on the disabled parking area of a vocational school, crossed a road and then entered a shop. He stayed there for nearly five minutes until the door opened and a young woman with too many tattoos on her arms helped him to carry some things to his car. He put the stuff in the trunk, thanked her and shook the woman´s hand. The woman smiled at him.  
Lindsay, who watched the scene, was angry.  
Connor drove away and the stranger waved when she walked back to her shop.  
"What do you do now?", Mary asked anxiously. Lindsay stared straight ahead. "Mom, you should now go into this shop and tell her you´re his wife."  
"Let´s go home," Lindsay finally whispered, "I have to go home, I'm awfully bad." During the drive she didn´t say a word. Lindsay was able to hold back her tears difficultly but when Mary noticed how hard her mother constantly swallowed, she had to get rid of something: "It doesn´t mean much to you, huh?"  
"Why are you saying this?", Lindsay sounded upset.  
"Like I said: I would have shown that Mila, where her limits are."  
Lindsay couldn´t say anything. She wasn´t going to argue with her daughter and after what she had seen, she didn´t feel well. Lindsay parked the car outside the house and went back inside alone, Mary wanted to see Nancy and Starlight in the barn.  
Lindsay already heard at the door, how Connor who had entered the house recently was telephoning. "...I hope I can do that, I've never done something like this before... By the way, thank you for helping me during loading... If I thought about it? If it doesn´t work, I would love to go on holiday... What´s a perfect place to travel?"  
The voice on the phone answered.  
"Yes, the sea. That sounds good... Really, your brother owns a hotel near the beach? Do you think you could help us getting a discount?... Well, I think we´ll travel alone."  
Lindsay, who heard that conversation swallowed hard. Now he and his new girlfriend wanted to spend their holiday together. "When?... Next week. I know I´m pretty late", he said on the phone, "Okay, then please send me a brochure about the hotel of your brother. I hope my wife won´t notice." He hung up and hurried back into the garage and closed the door behind him.  
Lindsay had to sit down on the stairs because she was suddenly dizzy. With shaky legs she then went to the door leading to the garage.  
"Connor? Are you in there?", What kind of question was that? She knew he was in there.  
"Yes, but I can´t open now."  
"Why not?"  
"I just can´t!"  
She took a deep breath. "All right." But it wasn´t all right. They had a problem. A huge problem...

At night it was so hot that the window was opened. This temperature was unusual for Colorado.  
The warm breeze moved the curtains carefully and Lindsay thought about this Mila desperately. Who was she? How did he know her? And what did she have what Lindsay didn´t have? She wondered if she´d find out if she wanted him back. Yes, she wanted him back, because she loved him more than anybody.  
Slowly, she turned around to him and patted his arm. "Connor?", she began with a sugary sweet voice and came a little closer. Her hand went seductively on his stomach.  
"Not tonight, darling," he muttered and turned away, "I'm too tired..."  
She thought she had misheard. Did he really say that?  
"Well, you probably already got what you need, "she muttered, staring at the ceiling. Connor raised his head irritated. "Did you say something?"  
"No, honey."  
"Good night."  
"Good night, sweetheart."  
That night Lindsay was dreaming of a day when Christina was still very, very small. Connor had come home at lunch because he wanted to see how his wife and baby were doing. Although it was November the sun was shining and the birds were singing happy songs out there. He had to look for a while until he found them. Lindsay was asleep in her bed and beside her the baby was. Christina was, unlike her mom, wide awake and squirmed excitedly. Before she would be loud, her father took her on his arms. "Hello, my darling," he told her. Christina immediately stopped crying when she heard his voice, "Did you tease your Mommy so much that she has fallen asleep?", he swayed the baby back and forth. "Oh, she´s waking up again?", suddenly a small voice beside him asked. "Yes, she is wide awake. Stay where you are, I take care of her."  
"Is she hungry? She has just been eating an hour ago."  
"She looks pretty happy. She probably wanted to be taken on the arm only."  
Christina slept in his arms. At that moment, everything in her dream was black. The idyll was destroyed and Lindsay found herself alone in a large, empty room. "Connor?", she shouted, but nobody answered...

"I have just received a phone call," Lindsay told the next day, when she entered the room where Ana was preparing herself for her wedding, "Your cousin wants to apologize that he can´t come."  
Mary was also very curious and came in with Christina. The two wanted to see the wedding dress.  
"Yes, my mother already told me," Ana pushed the "nest", which should represent her hair and sighed, "My God, I´m going to marry Peter... Wow. You know, I've always wanted a grand fairy tale wedding with a real princess dress... ", with these words, Ana smiled.  
"By the way, the florist called", Ana told, "We can now pick up the decorations for Peter's car. It would be nice if you could do this for me."

In the afternoon Connor, Lindsay and the kids went to the florist to get the decoration for the car. The seller agreed to attach to the two flowers hearts with suction cups on the hood and told them they should drive slowly.  
When they were on their way home, no car was in sight and Connor decided he could drive a little faster.  
"You´re too fast," Lindsay said to her husband. The indication told her he now drove 160 miles per hour across the highway.  
"I´m not," he ignored her comment and at that moment, one part of the car decoration broke. The floral heart stomped on the windshield and then flew across the car. "Mommy, look!", Christina on the backseat yelled.  
They stopped, Connor got the flower- heart (luckily it wasn´t damaged) and then they drove back home in silence with only 80 miles per hour.  
"Is everything all right?", Connor asked when she had stopped talking. Lindsay stared out of the window offended.  
"Haven´t you heard when the lady in the flower shop told us to drive slowly?"  
"Everything´s fine," he said and noticed how Ana and Peter came out of the house.  
"I don´t agree. If we pick up the wedding cake later... Do you want to destroy the cake, too?"  
"Please," Ana begged, "Don´t fight because of a flower decoration!" But too late: Both had left the car and slammed the doors simultaneously. Mary and Christina went to the barn to see Nancy and Starlight.  
Peter, who had taken Leah looked at them curiously. Connor and Lindsay entered their house to continue fighting inside.  
"What was that?!", he was angry.  
"You know exactly!"  
"No, I was hoping you could tell me. You are so... "  
"Stop!", Ana yelled. The two looked at her in surprise, "You know what, you are idiots! I´m not in the mood to get married! The wedding is canceled!", Ana screamed.  
"W-what?", Peter asked shocked.  
"I don´t want to become like you are!", she pointed to Connor and Lindsay. Then she burst out. Concerned, Peter followed her and Connor and his wife were alone in the kitchen. Lindsay didn´t want to spoil the most important day in Ana´s life.  
"Well done, Connor! Really!", Lindsay said after a long break.  
"Can you tell me what you're talking about?"  
"You know exactly!" With a serious look in her eyes, she past him, took Leah on her arm and grabbed her purse. The door closed behind her and outside she got into the BMW. When she drove towards town, tears welled in her eyes. She hadn´t deserved this. She should seriously talk to him about Mila. Yes, that´s what she would do when she came home tonight...  
Perplexed, she spend the entire day with Leah in town. It was almost night when both returned home. Lindsay wondered whether Connor was still there at all. Perhaps Connor had already left and took Christina and Mary with him, like she took Leah with her when she ran away today. Leah now slept on her arm and she hoped the loud chirping of crickets wouldn´t wake her.  
As expected, there was silence in the house. Only when she had taken off her shoes, she noticed there was somebody in the kitchen. Connor was suddenly standing in front of her.  
"Hi," he dryly said and fixed her eyes, "Give me the baby." She was unable to disagree. So she admitted he took Leah.  
"Daddy wants to be alone with Mommy," he said to the child, who was moving on his arm when they climbed up the stairs. Lindsay looked after them undecided. Her gaze fell on the kitchen table: There was a bouquet of flowers, candles were burning and it smelled like Connor was trying to cook. He hopefully wouldn´t try to ingratiate himself with her. If so, she knew exactly how this would end: She would forgive him anything if he only looked at her with his wonderful gray eyes.  
Minutes later she heard Connor creeping down the stairs. "I prepared dinner," he said, "Don´t you want to sit down?"  
"No. I'm not hungry."  
"I've spent all afternoon to cook dinner."  
"Well, now you see how I feel."  
"How can I understand that?"  
"I guess you burned the dinner."  
Connor spun around and reached for the stove. He could hear her laughing softly when he pulled a sheet aside and waved the smoke. Her laughing was the first step for coming closer again, he thought. Lindsay also noted how she reacted and this wasn´t planned. Now it was time for a serious conversation between them. "We need to talk," Lindsay said.  
"About what?"  
"About what we want."  
"I want you."  
"You've got me. What do you want now?"  
He looked at her seriously. So seriously that she was almost cold. "I know why you act so strange lately", he said.  
"How?"  
"Ana told me... Come with me, "Connor grabbed for her wrist and led her through the house. When they were in the hallway, they suddenly stopped and he told her to close her eyes. Then they went on, he warned her of two steps leading down and when they arrived in the garage, they stopped again. "Now open your eyes again."  
Lindsay was puzzled. Finally, she saw an object which was covered with a cloth. "What's that?", she asked.  
"I wanted to give it to you next week, when the time is right. Happy birthday, honey", he whispered in her ear, "Do you want to see it?"  
She didn´t move yet.  
"Oh, good. Then I´ll unwrap the gift for you." With a single movement he pulled the cloth away and Lindsay gasped. "Yes, I know," he said, "It doesn´t look particularly nice. I know you didn´t do that for a long time and if Ana ever stops telling you it´s dangerous... "  
"It´s… It´s an Italian Vespa... Where… Where did you get that from?"  
"I restored it and Mila McConner was helping... She owns a shop in Mystery, where I also bought the parts."  
"What?"  
"I was busy for a long time, believe me. Finally, I've never did something like this before. And if you knew how many shirts I've ruined... I'm sorry I have smuggled the basket of dirty shirts in the basement." In the meantime he had once walked around the Vespa and stood next to her again. "Hey, what are you crying about?"  
"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head. Relieved, she wrapped her arms around him.  
"Well, if you´re not crying then what about a short test ride?"  
"I... I need a glass of water. I'm sorry." Still with tears in her eyes, she went back into the kitchen. She slapped her hands over her face. She didn´t expected such a gift. Sobbing, she drunk a glass of water.  
"Is everything okay?", a voice asked behind her and she spun around.  
"Yes. You know, I never expected... I thought... I thought..."  
"What?" He came slowly towards her.  
"Oh, it isn´t important. "  
"Did you think I was cheating on you with Mila? I promised you something, Lindsay. I love you", he sat down on a chair," So... Are you crying because of that or because of the Vespa?... Is it that ugly? Oh, I knew I should have booked a weekend at the beach of Florida."  
"No, the Vespa is great", she laughed. So he was talking to the stranger on the phone about a holiday for them.  
"Good. And now that you've been drinking your water", he put his arm around her and pulled her onto his lap, "You´re ready for a short ride?"  
She nodded and they kissed long and full of love. Lindsay threw her arms around his neck and ran her hand through his hair.  
"Would you mind ...", Ana said when she rushed in. However, she assumed the two had reconciled their differences. Ana immediately noticed something had changed between Connor and Lindsay: The two laughed and flirted with each other like a young couple of lovers. "I'm going to see what Peter is doing."  
"You don´t have to", a voice said behind her. Ana turned around and saw Peter coming towards her in a tuxedo. "What's going on?", Ana sounded a little bit confused.  
"Marry me here and now."  
"But we don´t have..."  
"That's okay, I called the priest. He comes in half a hour."  
"That means we don´t have time", Lindsay stated and her husband nodded. She took Connor's hand and pulled him toward the stairs.  
Excited, Lindsay repeatedly checked how late it was when she changed clothes after her kids were dressed. With trembling hands she slipped into the sky blue, floor-length dress, which she had chosen for Ana's wedding. Here in her house there had never been a wedding. Finally she was finished and the door flung open to leave the room. In the corridor she almost collided with Connor.  
"Wow," he muttered, "You look like a princess."  
"Thanks," she gave him a beautiful smile. It was the smile he had missed lately. "At first I thought it might be too cheesy…"  
"No, you look great", for a moment it was as the time was standing still. Their eyes met and the air was electrified. "Come here," he took a step towards her and gave her a kiss. She returned, trembling under the warm feeling that spread through her. She knew exactly how this day would end.  
"Hey, Connor and Lindsay! Where the hell are you?", Peter shouted.  
"Give me two minutes!", Connor replied.  
"I said immediately," it came again from the ground floor.  
"I only need two minutes!"  
"Well, we have to go", she was a bit disappointed. Hand in hand they walked down the stairs.

Finally, they met outside under the stars. The garden was wonderful as always when it was summer in Colorado.  
"Congratulations," Lindsay said and hugged Ana, "Don´t become like Connor and me."  
"Oh!", Ana smiled, "I would be very glad if my marriage is as happy as yours!"  
All guests sat down on the chairs in front of the makeshift altar. "This is a shame," Connor muttered suddenly, when he leaned on his wife.  
"Do you regret we´re already married?", she asked.  
"No but our wedding wasn´t as beautiful as this wedding." When he said that, he heard Lindsay laughing softly, because she knew it wasn´t true. Their wedding was very nice, but on its own way.  
"Dear guests," the priest began, finally, when Ana and Peter stood under a rose trellis, "We have now gathered here to celebrate the love between Peter and Ana. If there´s anyone who knows a reason why this couple shouldn´t get married, the person shall speak to me or remain in silent forever."  
They waited for a second. "Well," the priest continued, "Peter... Do you want to take Ana to your wife and do you want to love and honor her, until death parts you, then answer with: I do."  
"Yes, I do."  
Lindsay looked at her hand and saw that Connor's fingers branched with hers. A happy smile spread across her face as he leaned toward her and kissed her tenderly.  
"And you, Ana, do you want to take Peter to your husband? Do you want to love him and cherish him, till death parts you, then you answer with: I do."  
"Yes, I do", She smiled broadly. Mary in her greed dress got up from her chair and gave them the pillow with the rings.  
"With gods help I now pronounce you as husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."  
Their guests applauded, when the newly married couple finally kissed. Then all congratulated the two.  
"Oh, by the way: Our food is getting cold," Ana suddenly told. She hadn´t really planned to disturb Connors and Lindsay´s reconciliation party and so she consoled herself with the fact that it was the fault of her wonderful husband, Peter.  
"Hey, we want to go to Mystery. I still reserved the room at the restaurant... It would be a shame if the room is unused", Peter suggested and the idea was great. So they went into the house to get their keys and bags. Lindsay didn´t hurry. Connor was worried and sat down beside her on the bench in front of a large tree. "Is everything okay?", he asked.  
"Yes... It was a beautiful wedding."  
"Quick and easy."  
She snorted in amusement. "It has been a really nice evening."  
"Did you really think I´m cheating on you?", he gave her a gentle nudge and smiled at her.  
"I don´t want to talk about that ever again."  
"Agree", Connor said, reaching for her hand happily when they finally walked to their house.

Fin


	10. Mystery House

Title: Mystery House  
Author: Dancing Star  
Pairing: Connor/ Lindsay, Peter/ Ana  
Rating: 12  
Category: AU, Mystery  
Synopsis: Does a Vampire live in Mystery?  
Notes: Happy Easter!

**Mystery House **

Lindsay and Connor were surprised by Peter´s good mood when he visited them on a Friday morning, about one week after his and Ana´s wedding. It was still summery hot outside. It was so hot that Connor sat very close behind his fan and voluntarily remained in his office to do paperwork. The kids were outside and played with Barry, their dog, in a paddling pool which Connor had to build up for them this morning.  
"I got an idea," Peter said to Connor and the way he said it wasn´t good, Connor suspected, "We should have a bachelor party."  
Connor had to laugh and chough at the same time while he was drinking a sip of his ice tea. "I would say we´re pretty late," he announced, "You're got married to Ana one week ago and I´m married since almost two years."  
"Yes," Peter admitted it was true, "But you and Lindsay haven´t had a bachelor party and Ana and I had none, because we got married rather hurriedly." That wasn´t the complete truth: Peter and Ana had intended to get married when their families were there. Then Ana had canceled the wedding and Peter had to undo her decision. So they got married, but earlier as planned.  
Peter then told he had planned an entertainment program for the party and he even showed a flyer to Connor: Star Wars Twins was written there and showed two dancers in skimpy Princess Leia- costumes and laser swords. The program booklet also promised a fantastic martial arts show for $ 200 per hour.  
"This is crazy," Connor muttered. Thus, this discussion was almost ended, "What does Ana say about this?"  
"It´s a good idea."  
"Hard to believe."  
"Let me show you what Ana is saying about that", so Peter suggested to join Lindsay and Ana in the kitchen and Connor followed him only reluctantly. In the kitchen Lindsay got her friend a glass of iced tea. "I just told Connor about my idea with the bachelor party," Peter told his wife.  
"And? What did he say?", Ana asked.  
"He said...", Peter wanted to response, when Mary entered the room. "You celebrate a bachelor party? Dad, isn´t it a couple of years too late", she asked, "Can I come too?"  
"Thank you, I have already said that and...", only now he realized the second part of her question, "No, you won´t come."  
Mary was disappointed, Peter seemed to be quite happy.  
"My goodness, it's pretty hot," Lindsay sighed and put the rest of iced tea inside the fridge. It has never been so hot in Colorado as it was today but it was a beautiful summer after the most popular season last year was literally rained off. The sun beat down from the sky and no wind was blowing to refresh the people.  
"On the news they said it´s the hottest summer since the start of weather records," Mary said to them. They desperately needed a pool and she decided to talk to her dad today.  
Peter noticed that Lindsay and Mary were obviously busy trying to pack a cooler. "What are you doing?", he asked, "Do you have a picnic?" He couldn´t imagine that someone was having a picnic at this terrible temperatures.  
"We´ll go to the lake," Lindsay said and Peter was immediately enthusiastic. He proposed to his wife to come along and when Mary and Connor had no problem with that, then Ana agreed, too.  
"I´m sure there´ll be many people at Lake Mystery today", Peter imagined that even the access road to the lake was already blocked. Lindsay and Ana carried a picnic bag to the car. "Peter, are you done now or have you changed your mind?", Ana asked, a little impatiently. While he mused, he hadn´t even noticed they had already left the house and were waiting for him in the car. It was oppressively hot in the small van of the Doyle family and Peter felt like sitting in an oven, when Connor drove down the car on narrow gravel road. Barry, the dog, sat on Peter's lap and held his head out the half rolled down window. Peter envied the dog when Barry´s black mustache hair fluttered in the cool wind.  
They drove for about two minutes on the mountain road and then left the street towards the Carmichael farm. Peter asked if they would take more passengers, because the van was already occupied with seven people, but Connor didn´t stop driving: He drove past the farm and then on a small road. "It´s a short cut," Mary said, "Pearl and I discovered last week this road also leads to Mystery Lake."  
The trip took about five minutes then they reached the lake and left the car on a parking lot. "This is a very quiet lakeside", Peter observed, when they reached the beach. He discovered a hut next to a pier. "I didn´t know you can even do water ski here," he said. Mystery Lake was big enough for that.  
Before anyone could disagree against Peter's suggestion he had borrowed a small motor boat and a pair of water skis from the man in the hut on the pier. He handed each of them a life vest. Peter entered the boat first then Barry did.  
"Should we really come along?", Lindsay asked when she entered the small motorboat with Leah in her arms. Then she turned to Christina, who wasn´t sure if she should enter the fluctuating vehicle, too. Finally she was picked up by her dad, who planted a kiss on her cheek and then sat her down next to Lindsay on a small bench.  
"Are you ready?", Connor asked when he turned the key and the engine started coughing. The boat slowly moved away from its berth and when they had reached the middle of the lake, Peter threw a rope and his skis into the water. Then he jumped in, swam to the end of the rope and tied the skis on his feet. He commanded Connor to set off. The little boat almost flew across the water and pulled Peter across the lake. "He's doing well," Ana stated who was sitting with Christina on the arm next to Lindsay and Leah on a bench near the control panel. Mary sat across them and watched her uncle. The wind tore at her hair.  
"Uncle Peter suggests he wants to go faster," Mary cried to her father, who was steering the boat. Connor pushed a lever forward that apparently controlled the speed, and the boat was getting faster again. They raced at some distance past a beach section of Mystery Lake and a splash noise told them they had probably lost Peter. Connor slowed the engine of their boat and let it drift to the point where Peter was drifting in the water like a beaver. Barry barked and jumped into the cool water.  
"Are you okay?", Ana wanted to know from her husband and he nodded, "Obviously, you're not as good in water skiing as you think."  
They helped Peter and the dog out of the water and watched the rain, caused by dog Barry.  
"The weather today is much too beautiful to return the boat now," Peter said and Ana and Connor knew what he really wanted to tell them.  
"Don´t worry, I don´t want to return the boat now," Connor calmed him. He knew a quiet spot on the banks of the Mystery Lake where a small barbecue area was located. When he told them about this, Peter concluded that´s why they had taken a cooler with them.  
The summer sun sparkled on the water surface and finally the small boat drove slowly past a wooded shoreline. Mary thought she had seen a house between the trees and finally she took off her sunglasses to look more closely. Hidden among the trees there was actually a house. If Mary wasn´t mistaken, it had a gray coat of paint. She wondered who would live in such an unassuming and quiet home. "Dad?", Mary turned around to her father questioning, "There's a house between the trees. Do you know who lives there?"  
Connor admitted he didn´t know at all that someone lived near this lake and when he and Peter looked to the trees, they also discovered the wooden house. "Looks as if the owner wants to remain inconspicuous," Peter suggested. Finally, the small building was gone from their field of vision and they went on to the little barbecue area from which Connor had told them.  
Two eyes were watching them curiously.

A few hours later they had finished lunch and Mary threw her paper plates into a garbage bag, when she noticed Barry barking. "What's up, Barry?", when Mary spoke to her dog, he wagged his tail happily briefly but then Barry barked again and ran away.  
"Mary, run after him," Lindsay cried to her. Mary saw that her mom and Ana were already busy packing their belongings. Apparently, their lunch in the shade of the trees was over. Christina waved to her older sister when she set off to search for Barry. Mary walked between thick trees and swaying bushes when she had to admit she had already lost the little dog out of sight.  
The more she walked away from the small barbecue area, the darker the forest was and she noticed that the birds weren´t singing and the crickets weren´t chirping. Suddenly it was deathly quiet in the woods. "Barry? Barry!",she called to her dog, but the little black pet didn´t come. She walked through a series of bushes and finally reached the little house, which she had seen from the boat. Mary wondered if she should ring at the house and ask if the residents had probably seen Barry and so she came closer. On closer inspection, she noticed that the gray painted wood was really rotten. Weeds grew already in some places and the window sills were covered with a thick layer of dust. The garden was overgrown. It didn´t look as if anyone ever lived here, but suddenly she heard classical music which came from the upper floor. So someone lived here!  
She leaped up the stairs and looked for a bell. Although the music was very loud she could hear the ringing of the doorbell and when there was silence upstairs she knew she had been heard. Mary waited anxiously, if someone opened the door, but nothing happened. Disappointed, she exhaled and decided to look through the window, which was located next to the door. Inside the house were modern furniture and electronic equipment. Was she mistaken, or was a fire in the fireplace? "And this at 104° Fahrenheit," she thought.  
"What are you doing here?", a voice suddenly asked and Mary turned around in panic. Her heart beat because of fear. A man who was dressed in black clothing was standing in front of her. His eye color was almost coppery. She had never seen something like this.  
"I... I'm looking for my dog," she finally stammered, "He´s small and has black, curly hair. His... His name is Barry." Barry was even wearing a tag with the address of "his" family on his red collar.  
"I haven´t seen your dog," the man replied and only now Mary saw how pale his skin was.  
"Okay," Mary didn´t know if it was the truth or not, but she had to get out of his presence, "He wears a tag with our phone number. Call us if you see him." Then she ran away as fast as her flip flops allowed. When she reached the trees, she turned around again. The man who had frightened her at the door, had vanished without a trace, without Mary heard a door slam.  
Suddenly a furry figure crept around her feet and Mary looked down. It was Barry, who sat in front of her, tail wagging. "Barry, where have you been?", she wanted to know from the dog, but then she decided she would quickly return to her parents.

Lindsay walked barefoot through the house at night and opened all the windows. She had hoped at least at night the air would be a little bit cooler and she was disappointed when hot, stifling air came in instead. "Connor, why don´t we have air conditioning?", Lindsay said and went into Leah's room to open the window as well.  
Meanwhile, Mary came upstairs with the phone at her ear. She phoned her friend Pearl and told her about the party which was proposed by her uncle Peter. Pearl told her she already knew about it: Today Ana Axon showed up with them and invited her parents to the party. "My dad had the great idea to condemn me to arrange music for the party," Mary told, "Would you help me?" Pearl was happy to do this, but only if she was allowed to come to the party, too. Mary promised she would talk to her parents and hung up, when she entered her room.  
A wall of hot, stuffy air came to meet her. "Mom, why didn´t you open the window in my room?", Mary cried to her mother and Lindsay in Leah's room rolled her eyes annoyed. Sometimes she thought having a teenage daughter was terrible.  
Mary grabbed the window and saw a handprint on the glass. She tried to wipe away the impression with her index finger and noticed the hand print had to be on the other side of the window when the impression remained. Mary didn´t know how the impression should have come to her window, because behind the glass it let approximately three meters into the depth. There was no balcony and lately there haven´t been renovation workings on the house, so that a framework should be established. No one had an opportunity to put the imprint on her window. Mary went to the kitchen, got a cleaner, when she met her father.  
"What are you doing?", Connor wanted to know when he saw the glass cleaner in her hand. Did his daughter want to clean up the chaos in her room?  
"I have a spooky hand print on my window and wipe it away."  
"A hand print?"  
"Yes," she confirmed, opened the window and wiped the mold away, "I have no idea how it got there. Maybe it was a flying vampire who had looked through my window... It was the creepy guy I saw today in the woods, you want to bet?" Of course, Mary had told her parents about the strange encounter and she didn´t let out a single detail.  
"You should stop", her father suggested.  
"With what?"  
"Reading these books ", with these words, he pointed to the book that lay on her bed and when he was leaving, he muttered something like "I can´t believe I would ever say something like this to my daughter."

The next morning, a Saturday, Ana came to visit and her very cheerful mood was really suspicious. "Peter ordered two barrels of beer and a catering from my restaurant for tonight," she told her friend Lindsay, "We have invited your neighbors and Hugh Carmichael's cousin is in town. He owns a winery and offered to bring a few bottles of wine. Connor and you don´t need to do anything."  
"But..."  
"No, it´s alright! Connor and you've already done so much for us. Give us the opportunity to return the favor."  
"Does Connor also know that?", Lindsay asked and she couldn´t believe what Ana now said: "He doesn´t mind and even offered to help us a little in the planning."  
"I hate the party even now...", Lindsay admitted. It wasn´t the bachelor party which bothered her, but rather the fact that Peter camouflaged his own bachelor party behind Connors´. She only hoped Peter didn´t invited the Star Wars Twins with their tiny outfits…  
"Oh, it will be fun," Ana was convinced, "Now come. We have to go to Mystery. I need something to wear."  
"Why?"  
"Because I want to look good at the party!", Ana grabbed her purse, "Well, what are you waiting for? For Christmas?"  
They drove to town with the kids. The store was almost empty when Lindsay and Ana came in.  
"There is a shoe store," Ana said, "Do you need new shoes?" She already entered the store.  
"No, thank you. I have enough shoes", Lindsay smiled.  
Then Ana already took her hand and pulled her inside the shoe store. There she first tried on all kinds of shoes, many of them with high heels. She looked at herself in a mirror just when she saw that Lindsay was busy on the opposite side of the shop in the children's shoe department. Even with the leopard pumps on her feet she teetered to her friend and grabbed the stroller in which Leah was. "Oh, you´re such a good mother: Always think about your kids first…. Christina certainly has enough shoes," she began and pushed the stroller to the women's shoe department.  
"She doesn´t!", Lindsay helped Christina to get in her own shoes after the girl had tried on pink sneakers.  
"That's not true. I saw her shoe rack. Now it's your turn!"  
Lindsay decided to do her the favor and in the women's shoe department she found some nice flats in her size, as Ana gave her red high heels. "What I do with it?"  
"Stupid question! You can´t show up at the party with sneakers. Everyone will bring their girlfriends. Think about your poor man if you show up at the party in a potato sack... Oh, and I don´t come with the argument: But we already have three children, because that doesn´t count... For my part, I take care of Peter so he doesn´t flirt with other women at the party, " Ana said and Lindsay got the message immediately.  
"I don´t hear that Connor complains about my look," Lindsay muttered, "But I thought, you agree to the party."  
"I do", Ana agreed, "But only on the condition that Peter's bachelor party takes place with Connors supervision."  
Lindsay put away the shoes she had chosen for herself and also Ana´s red shoes. She rather chose discreet shoes. She dressed like to flash, but Ana's style wasn´t her taste.  
Both paid at the cashier and Ana apologized to buy a new perfume in the shop next door. Lindsay and the kids walked to another little shop. Carefully, she pushed the stroller between the clothing racks until she finally discovered a short, red dress. Searchingly she glanced to her children. Christina had sat down on the floor and played happily. So she tried on the dress in a cabin and watched herself in the mirror. She smiled. Maybe Ana was right, with what she said. Because of Connor...  
Lindsay paid the dress and when she met Ana again she pretend as if everything was in order. "Where are you going?", Ana asked when Lindsay wanted to return to the car, "I need a dress. I don´t own one." Ana entered the same shop as Lindsay did before. The saleswoman wondered a bit why she was suddenly here for a second time.  
Both spent the day to prepare Lindsay´s home for the party and choose a wine. They even got a bar tonight. The day went by faster than Lindsay thought and the closer the evening came, the more excited she was, although she didn´t want to.

In the evening, friends and neighbors had gathered in the decorated yard. Ana was happy so many people had come, because it showed she and Peter had made many friends, too.  
She walked among the guests and saw Peter and another man sitting at the bar. She breathed out.  
"Where is your wife?", Owen Carmichael asked, Hugh Carmichael's brother, who owned a bar in the city and had agreed to do the bar service with his business partner Ed.  
"Don´t know", Peter didn´t want to tell him Ana didn´t agree for 100% to the party and it was only allowed on the condition that they would celebrate together. "She has promised to come." He still looked in his glass a little disappointed. "Ed, give me a beer," he said to an older man and pushed his glass away. "Gladly," the bearded man said, "And what about the lady?"  
Peter turned around, but that wasn´t necessary: He already felt like a hand gently on his shoulder. "Hi," Ana smiled and sat down next to him.  
"Hi," he replied and looked her at her. She wore a black dress, which emphasized her figure. Ana certainly didn´t regret she had bought it.  
"You look good. Very good."  
"Thank you. So do you." Again that smile. Peter began to sweat. Hopefully it wasn´t just because of the alcohol. "Are you okay?", Ana said and Peter nodded, "I hope you´re not mad at me…" She ordered something to drink and then proposed a toast with Peter.  
Mary and her friend Pearl were working on a laptop and asked Ed to help when they noticed that the speaker's sound system didn´t work. Pearl already knew about Mary's eerie encounter with the stranger in the woods and while Ed crawled under the table and sorted the cable, Pearl said she knew the man: "I think he has lived for 10 years in the house and he doesn´t like having contact with other people. "  
"Are you two talking about the dark bat who lives in a house on Mystery Lake?", Ed said when he was under the table, "Once at night I saw him when I was driving a load of beer to a customer and he jumped in front of my truck. This red eyes… I´ll never forget that. I think he has killed some wild animal because his mouth was also covered in blood." Ed left and Mary and Pearl looked after him surprised.  
"The kids in school are telling he's a vampire," Pearl went on, "He should have attacked Ally Becker's mother five years ago in the blood bank of the hospital." Mary listened to the stories of her friend. As far as she knew, Ally Becker's mother had worked as a nurse before this cruel incident happened. Mrs. Becker then quit her job and she and her daughter Ally were on welfare. She had never processed when she was attacked by a man one night in the blood bank and the man burrowed in blood and he also had vampire teeth. The description should fit the guy who lived there alone near Mystery Lake. Nobody believed Mrs. Becker and the children at school called her daughter Ally a freak. Pearl didn´t like Ally very much. Mary didn´t know her and when she met her in school hallway, Ally never talked a word to her. To date, Mary had always thought she would be the only girl in Mystery, which had a dark past. Her experiences with extraterrestrial beings had changed her. That Ally's mother should have seen a real vampire, made her less unique.  
"Hey, what are you doing?", Connor suddenly said and startled the two girls. Both complained then Connor went off to talk to some people. The whole time he tried to discover his wife among the guests, but he didn´t find her. This displeased him because he knew she didn´t like the party, but tolerated it because she trusted him.  
"...This year we have a wine of 1970. It´s a great vintage", a relative of Hugh Carmichael said, who owned a vineyard in California.  
"Red wine or white wine?", Connor asked spontaneously.  
"Red wine," the man replied  
At that moment Connor saw Lindsay. "Oh my ...", Connor broke off in mid-sentence when he saw her. The red dress didn´t even reach her knees and it barely covered her shoulders. He seldom saw her in short dresses and he had to admit she looked fantastic.  
"God", he finished the sentence when she was directly in front of him.  
"Don´t look at me like that. Ana said I should get dressed up", she said, laughing, "But I chose the dress."  
"Well," Connor stammered, "I think it's great... Would you excuse me?", he managed to get rid of Hugh Carmichael and his relatives. The men didn´t mind their conversation was now over. They also took care of their female companion.  
The magic of the gaze, which Lindsay gave Connor, was still there. "Would you...", he began, looking nervously at the floor. "Would you like to dance?", Inwardly, he thanked himself for his great idea to engage his daughter Mary and her friend Pearl for background music.  
"Sure." Her bright smile made him even more nervous.  
And she noticed how she made him crazy. His entire body tensed when she wrapped her arms around his neck on the dance floor.

Long after midnight, when the party was over, Lindsay began at least to get the glasses. Tomorrow morning she would have to organize a cleaning up- squad. They had celebrated nicely: They had danced, sang songs more or less sober and Ana won a drinking contest against the guys.  
"Good night," Ed called to her, "I'll help tomorrow with the bar!" They left the furniture outside because it won´t be rainy tonight.  
"Thank you, Ed!", she waved the last party guest. When he was gone, she noticed a couple, who had been sitting under a tree, got up and walked across the yard to the barn. It was Ana and Peter. Lindsay knew what they were about to do.  
She was shocked when suddenly two arms wrapped around her and pressed her against a warm body. "Hey, sweetie," Connor muttered and tried to take the glass out of her hand, "Let it be. Tomorrow we can also clean up."  
"No. Tomorrow ants will crawl on the table."  
He began to kiss her shoulders. "Not here," she laughed and gave him a nudge in his ribs.  
"Why?", he didn´t stop, "No one´s here anymore. We are alone. Who can...?"  
"Ana and Peter, for example. I just saw them walking to the barn", she gasped for air, "They could return at any time."  
"Not so soon, I guess...", he kissed her sensitive spot on her neck.  
"Okay, persuaded. Let's go..."  
Connor let her the opportunity to turn around. This time he kissed her long and passionately and then just went back into the house. Was this a new game? Making her crazy and then leaving? She had to follow him. If so, he would experience a big surprise...  
As soon as he had closed the door to the porch behind her, he wrapped his arms around her again and pressed her to him. She sank into a breathtaking kiss that robbed her all senses. His hand in her neck and pulled her closer to him. In a moment, she smiled and released a little cry, when he lifted her up and carried her upstairs. In bedroom she threw away her shoes carelessly. Then he laid her on the bed and looked at her.  
"What are you waiting for?", she shook her head and her hair, which she had tied in a ponytail, light dangling back and forth. Connor only needed to stretch out a finger to touch her. If he wanted to back out, this was very late, Lindsay thought. She wrapped her arms around him. "Don´t keep me waiting."  
Her kiss was getting wilder and more demanding. Her hands slid over his arms and she made him touching her again. In a last effort she fell back. Connor followed her and sighed when he felt her soft hands under his T-shirt. She tried to pull it over his head, but it got stuck under his nose. "I can´t see and...", he complained, but didn´t continue because she kissed him. Finally, he tore the shirt off his head and began to take off her dress. Their bodies were almost electric when they felt the skin of the other. Connor pressed her hands beside her head on the mattress and held it there. Shivering, she wrapped her legs around his hips. Maybe she could tell him like this what she wanted for tonight...

"Ana wait!", Peter cried after his wife. She was walking a few steps ahead and he had been trying to get her. This graceful figure was much faster than him.  
"You have a very bad condition." She stopped, waved her arms and laughed. "Where are we going?"  
"I'll show you the beer cellar."  
"Beer cellar? I didn´t know Connor owns a beer cellar ", she looked perplexed between him and the tree. He grinned cheekily. "That's what YOU think. But I tell you a secret. Do you think you can keep this in private?" In the moonlight he sat down on a small rock, threatened her with his finger and her face was close to his.  
"Of course, the good Edward Doyle had owned a beer cellar. But only Connor and I know about it. Do you promise you won´t tell Lindsay about it?"  
"It's pretty nasty."  
"It's not often that Connor and I spend time in the beer cellar. But you´re not allowed to tell Lindsay..."  
"Alright." She watched as Peter got up and pulled her by the hand with him.  
"How did you like the party?", Peter suddenly asked, she nodded. She wanted to know how far it was to the entrance and he claimed her they were right there. He was right: The entrance was hidden behind a tree and it remembered Ana to a bomb shelter. He opened the wooden door so they could enter. A narrow corridor led them into a small chamber and Ana attended they were in a separate compartment of the straw warehouse, which was located below the stables.  
Inside the cellar, they walked down an old staircase hand in hand then Peter had to press a light switch. Ana saw eight large wooden barrels.  
"Well, we are here!" Searchingly he knocked against a barrel. It sounded strange and someone had painted an X on it. Peter disappeared into the shadow of the barrel and came back with two glasses in his hand. The glasses were all the time behind the barrels, he told and there were also empty bottles and beer mugs. He carefully turned the tap on the front of the barrel and a little beer flew into each glass.  
"What´s that?", Ana wanted to know.  
"That's Edward Doyle's self brewed dark beer," he answered, "Made in 1980 and soon the last of its kind, because Edward always enjoyed drinking a glass when he was staying here in his spare time. He told me and Connor last winter about his holy hideout." Peter told her Edward had even taken them to his beer cellar to drink a few glasses. Connor was pretty surprised when he learned that his father was secretly a passionate brewer and his mother hadn´t noticed it.  
Ana accepted a glass and together they sat down on a wooden bench covered with fabric.  
"I thought we were drunk enough for today," she joked and tasted the beer, "It's good," she lied.  
"You lying", Peter had seen through her.  
Ana slapped her hand over her mouth indignantly. "How do you know...?"  
"Your face," he whispered to her again and came so close that she could feel his breath. A shiver ran through her arms. Suddenly there was silence between them and he had to swallow hard. His left hand slid down her cheek to her neck and pulled her closer. Ana´s glass fell to the floor and shattered into a thousand pieces. She didn´t care. This glass would never cause them to interrupt this wonderful kiss.

A ray of sunshine tickled Lindsay´s face when she woke up pretty late the next day. Her head rested on Connor's arm. She heard him breathing quietly next to her. She blinked and held her breath: the balcony door was wide open and across the floor were pieces of their clothing. Yesterday, or better this morning, they had an own private party, too. That wouldn´t have been bad, if the balcony door wasn´t open…Oh God, she thought about who could have heard something... Mary was definitely awake and for sure Ed and Owen already arrived to fetch their bar.  
Slowly, she sat up, holding her blanket wrapped tightly around herself. For a while she sat there and felt how his hand brushed against her bare back. "Lindsay," he mumbled, half asleep. She finally got up and walked over to the balcony door to remain in its frames.  
Ana and Peter came towards the house hand in hand. They both laughed and still wore the same clothes as yesterday's party.  
"Lindsay," it came from Connor. He blinked, raised his head to drop it right back into the pillow, "Come back."  
"It's getting late. We should get up, don´t you think?", she asked, sitting down beside him.  
"No... What are you wearing?", still blinking, he examined her new dress.  
"That's the blanket," she giggled, "Now get up."  
"No," of course, he had the intention of getting up. But not yet. Rather, he wanted to show her how he started the day. He pulled harder on the blanket. So hard that she fell on him and he sealed her lips with his.  
"We could have a party every day", he whispered soon as his hands wandered down her body, "What´s up? Will you take off this dress, or shall I help you?"  
She smiled when she kissed him passionately and slipped off the blanket.

Mary was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast when her parents finally came down the stairs. "Good morning," she greeted her parents and gave each of them a glass of orange juice. Even today, it was promised again to be a very hot day. "Are you both hangover?", Mary wanted to know.  
"How did you get that idea?" Connor asked, looking down, when Barry walked around him good humored. Then Connor bit into one of the sandwiches, which Mary had made for them.  
"Pearl told me a scary story last night," she said, "Supposedly the man who lives alone in the house at Mystery Lake is the same person who attacked a woman in the blood bank years ago."  
"That's just a story. Who knows if this is true", Connor disagreed and Lindsay was surprised. Normally, her husband at least listened to Mary´s stories and was happy to be taught a lesson, if he found out that he and Lindsay were wrong. His contradictory attitude made her suspicious.  
"I know Ally Becker's mother," Connor told them. He knew her because he had met her once at Mary´s school. He didn´t interfere, but in his opinion Ally and her mother needed help urgently.  
"What should I do? I would like to know if the story about the blood bank is true", Mary admitted," I don´t even know the man's name. There wasn´t even a name tag on his doorstep." Under these circumstances, she wouldn´t have to look for him in the phone book, if she didn´t know his name.

As they had expected, Sunday was a hot day. They spent the day outside under an umbrella (so their sunburn from yesterday wouldn´t get worse) and watched how Christina and Leah played in her pink pool. "I wish I was two years old, too," Mary said to her mom, "Then I would have enough space in the pool."  
"That's the reason why you'd like to be a small child?", Lindsay asked incredulously.  
"Mom, we have to talk to Dad he´s buying a pool for us…"  
They ate ice cream, in the evening when it was cooler they took Barry for a walk and Lindsay and Connor took the horses for a short ride to the Mystery Lake. Mary had to promise to take care of her little sisters at home. "Where are we going?", Connor wanted to know from his wife, while his black horse was walking along a narrow path. Lindsay let stop her horse Nancy at a crossroads and he guessed it: The path led right to the abandoned section of the shore, where the eerie house stood and to which Barry was gone yesterday. Lindsay wondered if she should really ride to the house and Connor was almost relieved when she finally let Nancy go.  
The evening was nice, a heat thunderstorm ranged over the city. With Leah and Christina on her arms Lindsay stood in the living room in front of a glass door leading to the garden, and looked out with them when outside the lightning flashed across the sky.  
Late that night the storm was over and Mary had almost finished reading the vampire novel. She reached the last page, closed the book and put it on her bedside table. Then the light was turned off in her room. A knock on the window scare five minutes later.  
Mary was quick to run to the window. She thought he saw a handprint in the darkness and when she opened the window to see if she could wipe it away from the outside, she saw a dark figure sitting in the tree that stood about five feet away from the house of her family. She saw a man with pale skin and when she reached for the flashlight, which was in the chaos of her teenage room next to the window, she shone in the figures´ face. She recognized red, bloodshot eyes and sharp fangs in the man's mouth.  
Because she thought he was going to dive back to the house, she took a step backward, tripped over Barry and screamed.  
The next moment the door to her room opened and her father came in, followed by her mother. "There he is! ", Connor shouted.  
A rustling sound in the tree caught Mary's attention and when she looked at the tree again, the black figure was gone. "He's gone," she murmured, while Lindsay helped her getting up, "That was the man who lives in the house at Mystery Lake. How did you know he was here?" She thought it was odd that her parents were with her so fast.  
"We woke up when we heard a scraping noise at the window," Connor told her, "And then we saw him."  
Although Mary still had to promise to her parents she wouldn´t ride to the house on Mystery Lake, Mary had to persuade her friend Pearl. When Connor and Lindsay prohibited riding to that house, she knew she was right. In the afternoon the two were on the way to the lake, when it was cooler outside. Thanks to the storm last night. The house looked exactly neglected, as it was yesterday. The door was open and Mary and Pearl hesitated for a moment whether they should enter. They encouraged by the fact that Barry was with them and so they entered the dusty house. It was empty. The sinister man who had lived here until yesterday had disappeared without a trace.

Fin


End file.
